To Guard an Inu
by Morgana Deryn
Summary: Inu no Taishō ordered Noriko to protect his son, Inuyasha. Noriko, Inuyasha, and Kagome must learn to all work together to repair the Sacred Jewel and defeat Naraku. Noriko's allegiance lies with the inu, but why? She tries to protect both Inu brothers, but how can she when they're on opposite sides? Who was she before the Inu no Taishō? Even Inuyasha doesn't know. SessOC InuKag
1. Inuyasha Revives! Noriko Returns to Him

**I'll admit, I'm bad about costume porn, so if that just ruins it for you, you may not want to read this. **_**HOWEVER**_**, it'll only pop up once or twice. The only reason I mention it is because most everybody in Inuyasha has a fairly intricate way of dressing, like Sesshomaru or Kagura. It pops up bad in this first chapter but after that you should be safe.**

* * *

Inuyasha Revives! Noriko Returns to His Side

Kagome was confused, beyond confused. She had no idea where she was, no idea where she was going, beyond the Sacred Tree. She knew something was wrong, very wrong. There was no shrine, no family, nothing familiar but the tree, _she had to get to the tree._

Kagome stepped into the clearing where the tree stood tall, and everything else was pushed aside by what she saw there.

It was a boy… or was it? She knew no boys with long, silver hair, no boys who dressed all in red robes, no boys with dog ears resting atop their heads. The boy - yes, it was a boy – was pinned to the tree by an arrow protruding from his chest. The fletching was torn and tattered with time and the elements but it still held him firm, aided by the roots of the tree that had grown up around his body.

"H-Hey there," she said softly, hoping up on the roots. "Whatcha doing?"

Her mind was racing, processing information and jumping to conclusions almost faster than she could track. It took a long time for roots like that to form and the arrow was obviously old, so the boy's body should have decayed, but it hadn't, so maybe he wasn't dead…?

_Oh, wow._

Those soft little triangles reminded her of the dog that lived next door to the shrine. Her fingers itched as she recalled how soft that dog's ears had always been whenever she stopped to pet him on her way to school.

_I think I wanna… touch them._

Her hands reached forwards and she pinched the ears between her fingers, rubbing gently. She delighted in the feeling of soft, short fur under her fingers. It felt soothing and somewhat mischievous what she was doing.

"That's highly disrespectful, mortal. You're lucky he's seal or he'd have your head."

Kagome whirled and in her haste, her foot slipped on the root. She hit the ground hard on her bottom with a pained 'oof.' Soft chuckling reached her and she looked up. One delicate dark blue slipper edged in white stepped from the shadows. Then the other. Her breath hissed out and she gaped. If she had though the boy looked strange he was nothing compared to this woman. She'd never seen anyone like that.

Physically, she was startling. The woman was young, with a pale, angular face and crimson eyes. Teal hair was pushed back from her face and rolled to her waist atop a ground-length white cape. Her lips were full. Her nails long and pointed. But most surprising was the marks across her face. A line sliced across each cheekbone, turning down just to the side of her nose and tapering to a point just above her lip. Her bottom lip featured a thick line through the middle. The marks were a bright red, the same color as her eyes.

It wasn't just her physical appearance that was surprising through. Kagome had never seen such intricate clothes. The woman wore a pleated skirt the same color as her shoes. It hit the ground in the back and her knee in the front, revealing teal pants a shade darker than her hair wrapped below the knee. Golden cord wrapped around her waist, a panel of fabric that matched her skirt lined and embroidered with gold. Her shirt was the same color as her pants, partially concealed by an armored plate the same color again as her skirt. It exposed her décolletage and rose to a high collar edged in gold, a gold braid slumping over her right shoulder. Her forearms were covered in more blued metal edged in gold. Her sleeves hit her elbows and spread away in a white trumpet.

Kagome's eyes locked on the sword at the woman's hip. She'd never seen a sword before, not in real life. She understood now how threatening simply having a weapon could make someone.

"W-Who are you?" she stammered.

"The Lady of the Forest!"

"You girl, get away from there!"

Kagome whirled to find men standing there, men with top knots, wearing hakama, and holding bows. They had their arrows leveled at her and even as she turned, they fired. Kagome curled up into a ball with a screech, her heart racing. Any second she expected to feel an arrow bite into her skin and then it would all be over…

Metal struck metal and Kagome looked up to face a wall of white fabric. Her eyes traced it up to hit teal hair and she realized that that woman had somehow crossed the gap between them in the time it took for the arrows to reach them and was now… deflecting arrows with her sword?

"T-Thank you," Kagome began, but the woman was gone in a blue before she even got halfway through the first word.

Her legs and arms were jelly, her heart racing. She was still trying to process what had just happened. She'd found a boy pinned to a tree, and then that woman showed up, and then she had arrows flying towards her… Because of all of that she barely put up a fight when the men lifted her up and bound her ankles and wrists.

Kagome was coming back to herself by the time she was dragged into a village and completely functional as she was placed on a woven mat.

This village was another thing unlike Kagome had ever seen. The people were all dressed in period clothes. Topknots abounded and women were whispering about war and spies and thieves, looking at her edgily. The houses were something like she'd only seen in movies, the sort of tiny village a great samurai would defend.

"Make way for High Priestess Kaede!"

An old woman stepped forwards, using a strung bow like a walking stick. She had only one eye, the eye patch covering the other. Grey hair was swept back from her face. She wore a white haori and red hakama. The woman walked over to Kagome's little mat, which was being given a wide berth by the villagers.

Kaede handed her bow to a man and drew a pouch of powder from her pocket. She took out handfuls and began hurling them at Kagome. "Yōkai begone!"

"Hey!" Kagome protested, trying not to breath in the powder. It was tickling her nose and making her want to sneeze. "Hey! I'm not a yōkai!"

"Are ye not?" Kaede demanded. "Then why were ye found in the Forest of Inuyasha?"

"She could be a spy from another village," suggested the man holding her bow.

"In that case she would be a fool," Kaede responded. "Who would invade such a poor village as ours?" Her eyes slid back to Kagome, who blinked as Kaede seemed to focus on something about her, what, she couldn't say. Something had drawn the woman's eye and she was now scanning her intently.

"Let me have a better look at ye," Kaede said, stepping forwards and seizing Kagome's chin. The girl winced as her head was jerked from side to side. "Look clever girl," Kaede bade. "Or be ye a half-wit?"

_Why you-!_

"It's there," Kaede said, stepping back and looking surprised. "Though I know not why."

Kaede waved her hand and the man holding her bow returned it to her, reaching into his belt and pulling out a small but wicked-looking knife. Kagome flinched back and began struggling as the man advanced on her, the sun glinting on the silver edge of the knife. Surely they weren't going to kill her for just being different… were they?

No, they weren't. Just when she thought she was going to crawl out of her skin with fear the man bent and quickly sliced through the ropes binding her ankles. Kagome let out a sigh of relief as the man moved behind her and freed her hands as well. She stood cautiously and rubbed her sore wrists, looking around nervously.

"Come with me, girl," Kaede bade, jerking her hand. Kagome saw no other option. She could tell that the woman had some sort of power in this village and if she could ingratiate herself to the woman it may keep her safe until she could sit down and work out what had happened to her.

Kaede lead her to a hut and took her inside. The old woman set her bow against the door frame and moved to the fire pit where a pot sat full of some sort of bubbling stew, bowls and utensils spread around it. Kagome took the proffered seat by the fire and looked around as Kaede worked on her stew.

The hut was sparse. Most things were in chests or urns against the wall, leaving the main portion of the floor space open. A furnace sat by the wall, providing heat along with the fire.

The smell of stew filled the hut and Kagome eagerly took the offered bowl thankfully.

"Bear us no ill will, child," Kaede asked, "for in these troubled times no stranger may be welcomed among us without deep distrust."

"We really aren't in Tokyo anymore, are we?" Kagome whispered. She'd had her suspicions. The topknots, the village, the superstition. Somehow, some way, her fall through the well had sent her back in time.

"To kee oh," Kaede mused thoughtfully. "Never heard of it. Is that where your people are from."

"Yeah!" Kagome said nervously. "So, I should be going soon…."

_Though I've no idea how to get back._

She busied herself with her stew as she struggled to come up with an idea of how to return. She came here through the well, so maybe if she just jumped back in, she'd find herself back at the shrine…

Kagome looked up worried as the sound of smashing timber and shouts came from outside. A bell was rung frantically and Kagome's spine tingled at the sound as she and Kaede raced outside.

Kagome gaped. It hadn't been her imagination. There was the monster from the well, centipede body flicking out and destroying houses, throwing archers aside with vague sweeps. A dead horse dangled gruesomely from the woman's mouth.

It threw the horse to the ground at their feet and cackled as Kagome pressed close to Kaede's shoulder nervously.

"It's that thing!" she whimpered.

"Give me the Sacred Jewel!" the monster demanded, swooping at them. Kagome and Kaede jumped to the side. Kagome made to get back up, but she pressed back to the ground as the monster made another sweep.

"It said Sacred Jewel," Kaede said slowly, looking at Kagome. "Bear ye it still?"

"Er, I have no idea," Kagome said helplessly. It was a legend, a story… But then again, so were yōkai, and Kagome could think of no other title for the centipede woman. "I've heard of it, but…"

"I must have the Sacred Jewel!" the yōkai yelled. She began to spin, her centipede body snapping around and ripping wide swathes of destruction through the village.

_That thing's after me_, Kagome realized, standing. She felt ill at the realization what it was she who had brought this monster down on the village.

"We must lure it to the dry well!" she heard Kaede order and that caught her attention.

"Dry well?"

"In the Forest of Inuyasha."

The well I climbed out of!

"Which way is the forest?" Kagome asked, but she didn't really need to. She could see a glow coming from the tree behind her and she knew that was the way she should go. "Where the light's coming from, right?"

She didn't wait for an answer. She just took off, sprinting. She'd never been a good runner and she'd never really cared too much until now when her lack of speed might very well be her death. She could hear the yōkai coming after her as she ran out of the village, its huge, armored body scraping against the ground every now and then. Her heart was racing and her lungs strained, but she had to get to the well. If she got to the well, she'd be safe and that thing would be away from the village. But what if it followed her back into the well? Well, at least it would be away from the villagers.

_Someone will save me, right? Won't they?_

Kagome began calling for her family again. "Grandpa?" He knew about all these legends. "Sōta?" He'd love this… "Whoever you are-" she didn't care who, just somebody "-please, _help me!"_

Kagome could have sworn she felt something - something in the air maybe? – shift, but a moment later she had bigger problems as the yōkai caught up to her. She turned off the path and sprinted up a steep incline, staggering as the ground betrayed her.

"Give it to me!"

"I told you, I don't have it!" Kagome screamed back, but the yōkai seemed beyond reason. It connected with the ground behind her and she went flying through the air with a bunch of dislodged rock and dirt clods. Kagome hit the ground on her stomach hard and skidded painfully.

"Hello Kikyō," purred a voice darkly. "Playing with bugs now, are we?"

Kagome looked up and saw the boy in red, the boy who had been slumped against the Sacred Tree with an arrow in his chest.

Although he was no longer slumped now. He was awake and staring down his nose at her with beautiful amber eyes.

_Did he just talk?_

"So… you're alive?" Kagome realized.

"Why are you taking so long to kill her?" he sneered. "Just do her like you did me." Kagome gaped up at him. "You look pretty _dumb_ there, Kikyō. The Kikyō _I_ know wouldn't waste her time."

Kagome felt irritation rise up inside her. She stood up and put her hands on her hips. "That does it! Kikyō_, Kikyō_, _whoever_ she is, she's _not_ me, because _my_ name is-"

"She's here."

The yōkai emerged from the leaves of the Sacred Tree, coming down towards her. Kagome turned and ran, but almost immediately tripped. She heard a repulsive squishing sound and turned to see the men from the village standing there with their bows. Arrows protruded from the yōkai's torso, ropes trailing from them to the villagers.

"That's it! Now pull!"

_So I was saved._

"You're pathetic Kikyō."

"I'm not Kikyō!" Kagome shouted. She stood up and turned on him, walking up the root to go nose-to-nose with him. "I'm telling you, I'm not her, whoever _her_ is!"

"And I'm saying you gotta be!" the boy replied argumentatively, leaning forwards. "'cause if you're not her there's no way that you could smell so-" He paused and Kagome wondered if he'd been about to tell her she smelled good. Then she wondered why he'd stopped. He inhaled. Was he… sniffing her?

"You're not her," he said softly, leaning back in surprise.

"I know!" Kagome snapped, thoroughly fed up with being tied up and shot at and attacked and confused with whoever this Kikyō person was. "My name is Kagome. Ka. Go. Me."

"You're right," the boy muttered, looking away from her. "Kikyō was cuter. Much cuter."

_What'd you-?_

Hands closed over her shoulders and yanked her back. Kagome yelped as she realized the yōkai had a hold of her. She grabbed the closest thing which happened to be two chunks of the boy's hair.

"Let go of me!" she shrieked at the yōkai.

"Ow ow!" he yelled. "_You_ let go!"

"Give me the Sacred Jewel!"

Kagome turned as she felt the hand let go of her, only to find the thing lunging at her with long fangs bared.

"Stop it!" she shrieked in fear, throwing out a hand as if that would halt the attack.

Strangely enough, it did. Purple light burst from her palm and once again the yōkai was thrown back from her, leaving three arms behind. Kagome hit the ground and sat up, staring at her hand nervously.

"Hey… I did that before too… In the well… But how'd I do it though?"

Kagome felt something inside her shift, grow hot. She looked down to see a glowing spot on her torso, just to the left of her belly button. A warm feeling swept through her before searing pain as the yōkai lunged, fangs driving into her side and throwing her into the air, ripping free. Her vision flickered with agony and Kagome dimly saw something purple and covered in blood burst from the wound in her side.

_That was… inside me? Is it the Sacred Jewel?_

Kagome bounced to the ground and the gem, sacred or otherwise, hit the ground in front of her with a soft, delicate tinkle.

"Give me the jewel," the boy bade, a hint of desperation and want in his voice. "Quick, hurry!"

"Wha-?"

Kagome wasn't given a choice as heavy coils of centipede hit the ground behind her and tightened, scooping her up and pressing her against the boy's torso.

"I heard some hanyō spawn was after the jewel," the yōkai laughed, staring at the boy. "It's you, isn't it?"

_Hanyō? What is he?_

"Half's all I need to kick your scaly hide," the boy responded. Kagome didn't see how he wasn't terrified. She was shaking and he only seemed excited, interested by it all, like he longed to throw himself into the fight. "Anything more'n that'd be a waste of my time!"

Maybe that was the key, Kagome realized. If she could get him off of this tree, maybe he was strong enough to defeat the yōkai.

"Listen, you talk big, but can you back it up?" she demanded. He looked down at her blankly.

"Huh?"

"_Can you or not?"_

"What can he do, pinned there like that?" the yōkai cackled. "And you, you're powerless to stop me. You're helpless, the both of you." A long tongue snaked out of its mouth like it had a mind of its own, wrapping languidly around the jewel.

"Don't you dare!" the boy roared.

The jewel disappeared down the thing's throat. Its severed arms glowed and reattached.

"It's rearming," Kagome whimpered.

"At last, my power is complete!" it screamed in ecstasy as its skin exploded. What was beneath was grey and pink, raw and diseased-looking. Its fangs were yellowed and its eyes bulbous and red. The coils tightened around her and Kagome winced as her ribs throbbed.

"It's crushing me."

"Hey. Can you… pull out this arrow?" Kagome looked up at the arrow. "Look, can you pull out this arrow or not?" She stretched up towards it. Her fingers brushed the shaft.

"I-I don't know!"

"Nay child!" Kaede yelled. "Once the arrow is removed then Inuyasha will be free to destroy us all!"

"Don't be stupid you old hag!" the boy, Inuyasha, yelled. "At least with me you've got a chance, where as that thing's going to eat you. And what about you?" he added, looking down at Kagome. "Are you ready to die yet?"

_I don't know what I should do, but, given the choice…_

Kagome stretched out her hand and closed it around the arrows shaft. She threw all her weight into yanking it out, screaming, "I choose to live!"

The arrow dissipated inside her grip in a burst of light and pressure. Pink and purple flashed around them. Kagome felt Inuyasha's body pulse under her. She looked up to see his head hanging, his eyes closed, a smile on his face. Did she kill him?

"Um, Inu…yasha?"

His body spasmed under her and Kagome realized her was laughing. Loud, victorious laughs burst from him. It was a malicious and mocking sound.

The coils of the yōkai pulled away for a moment before crashing back down. Kagome yelped in pain as her ribs throbbed before she was thrown backwards in a burst of yellow light. She hit the ground hard, shredded chunks of centipede landing around her. She looked up to see Inuyasha flipping through the air.

"Child!" the yōkai snarled, lunging at Inuyasha.

"Nasty hag!" he shot back. He charged at her, drawing his hand back. "Sankon Tessō!" His claws glowed with yellow light and hooked into the yōkai's mouth. Kagome watched in awe as he sliced easily through the thing's jaw bone and down its body, halving it. He stood there calmly as chunks of flesh and gore fell around him.

"What do you know? He is strong." She stood and then recoiled as a leg to her side began to twitch, coiling up.

"Quickly child, find the glowing flesh!" Kaede bade. "That's where the jewel will be! I must be removed at once, lest the flesh of Mistress Centipede be revived."

"Whoa, whoa, tell me you're joking?" Kagome pleaded. Kaede's face did not look like she was joking though, so Kagome turned back to the shredded lumps and glanced around. Her eye caught on a glowing ball "There, it's that one!"

Kaede walked over and plucked the jewel from the flesh quickly. The body immediately stopped twitching and vanished into dust, leaving behind only bones. Kaede turned and dropped the Sacred jewel into Kagome's hands.

"What? But-"

"Only ye may possess the Shikon no Tama."

"But how'd it gent inside my body?" Kagome wondered aloud. "Why would I have a jewel wanted by demons?"

Kagome turned at the sound of crunching bone and saw Inuyasha standing atop the remains of a piece of spine and the attached ribs. He was staring at her, smirking, and Kagome felt a sliver of fear. He'd just defeated a yōkai empowered by the Shikon no Tama with no more than one move. Surely he could rip her apart.

"Exactly," Inuyasha agreed. "Humans can't use it, so why bother to keep it? If you hand the jewel over right now I won't have to start sharpening my claws on you."

Kagome gaped at him. "What?"

_You mean… he's not the hero?_


	2. Traking Kagome - The Shikon Shatters!

Tracking Kagome – The Shikon Shatters!

The village men converged around Inuyasha in a wide circle, Kaede and Kagome inside with him. They were all wielding weapons, predominantly bows and spears. Kagome would have swooned were she the one faced with such odds but Inuyasha only looked amused.

"Pay no heed to Inuyasha," Kaede told her, throwing out an arm. Kagome looked down at the glowing Shikon no Tama in her hand.

_The jewel makes yōkai more powerful. Is it cursed?_

"I hate having to wait," Inuyasha growled. Kagome looked up at him. "And I hate the smell of you!" he shifted one foot forwards and then he was running for her, red sleeves flying behind him. Kagome turned and ran, hoping to get to the edge of the protective circle. Her feet betrayed her, catching in a piece of spine and tripping her. Inuyasha sailed by on her left, his deadly claws slicing overhead with the streaks of yellow light. She'd seen what that could do. He'd really just tried to kill her.

Kagome hit the ground, sliding, and Inuyasha landed easily in a crouch, holding up his claws. "Want me to scratch your back?" he teased, popping his knuckles.

"You really tried to hit me just now," Kagome blinked.

"Shoot him!"

Arrows came flying for Inuyasha, but he turned and sliced through them with his claws. He jumped, his hands flicking out deftly. More yellow light sliced through the air and the tops of two trees toppled towards the archers. They ran, some abandoning their weapons as they went. Inuyasha landed lightly on top of one of the trunks.

"Who do you people think I am?" he demanded. "You think you can hurt me like I did that centipede?"

"Lady Kaede," one man said nervously. "Methinks mayhap that we might have chanced the centipede."

"Somehow I knew it would come to this," Kaede said, digging in her shirt. As Kagome ran for her life, Kaede yanked out a string of black beads interspersed with brown spaced like fangs.

"Prepare yourself!" Kagome heard Inuyasha yell as he bounded after her in the trees. She was running for her life and he was having the _time _of his life.

"Prepare?" she demanded. "For what?" It was no contest. She hadn't a prayer against him!

She went flying as those yellow streaks of light hit the ground behind her. The Shikon no Tama flew from her hand and rolled a short distance away. Kagome rolled and turned around to look at the damage. She gasped at the sight of the deep gouges in the earth, stopping just short of her feet. That was how close she had come to dying.

"Now it's mine," Inuyasha laughed, jumping out of the trees and going to the jewel. Purple drops of light flew from all directions and formed a ring around his neck. "Huh?" The light resolved into a beaded necklace that dropped around Inuyasha's neck. "What the heck are these?" he demanded, tugging at the necklace.

"Quickly child, the word of subjugation!" Kaede yelled at Kagome, who could make neither heads nor tails of the statement. Word of subjugation?

"What word?" she called back, snatching up the jewel and taking off running again.

"It matters not! Your word has power to hold his spirit!"

Power to hold his spirit. Kagome was wondering what that meant as the ground crumbled underneath her and she went sliding down the incline. She hit the ground and again the jewel fell from her grip. It bounced along the ground, clacking onto the boards of a rope bridge across the river. Kagome reached out to grab it but it was already far beyond her fingers. Above her, Inuyasha jumped from the trees with a snort and soared towards the bridge.

"How can you overpower me when you can't sit up?" he snarled at her.

"A word to hold his spirit?"

He fell towards the bridge…

"But how will I know which one?"

He hit the bridge…

He reached for the Shikon no Tama…

Kagome's eyes landed on his dog-like ears. "Sit boy!" she roared on instinct. Pink light flashed from the beads around his neck and Inuyasha faced-planted on the boards with a strangled yelp.

"What do you know?" Kagome smiled, stepping onto the bridge. "It worked!"

"What the heck is this?" Inuyasha demanded, sitting up. He yanked at the beads, trying to rip them off over his head or break the thread holding them together. The beads glowed pink and refused to be removed.

"I'm sorry Inuyasha, but even you lack the power to remove it!" Kaede called from the bluff above.

"We'll see about that!" Inuyasha raged. "I'd come up there and finish you off if you didn't look half-dead already!"

"The word, please," Kaede said, her voice one of forced calm.

"Sit boy," Kagome said simply. Inuyasha hit the bridge again, flat on his belly and groaning.

"Say that again and you lose everything from the neck up."

Kagome looked up to see the woman from before, fair and teal-haired, standing on the other side of the bridge. Crimson eyes narrowed at her and Kagome gulped nervously. Somehow, she suspected that there was no word of subjugation for this yōkai.

"The Lady of the Forest!" Kaede said as the yōkai stepped onto the bridge. Kagome watched her walk forwards, heart pounding. Crimson eyes bored into her own as the yōkai slunk forwards, stepping one foot in front of the other. The yōkai paused beside Inuyasha and rotated ninety degrees, crouching beside him.

Kagome blinked. Before, she'd though the yōkai to just have a small waist. She'd only seen her from the front. Now that she saw her from the side she realized that she was just that thin, her ribs standing out prominently on the front and sides.

The yōkai shook her head, touching one of the beads with a finger. "Lord Inuyasha, you truly do have a knack for finding trouble."

"Noriko," Inuyasha grunted, pushing himself into a sitting position. "You're still here?"

"I am assigned to guard you until you release me. You have not released me. Therefore, I continue to guard you." She reached out a clawed hand and Inuyasha took it, accepting the help to his feet. She guided him away from the damaged and creaking boards before he shook her off.

Arrows flew down from the bluff above. They were not aimed at Inuyasha, but he dodged anyway, jumping. Noriko seemed to levitate and float away gracefully, her hair trailing behind her. She looked up at the bluff.

"Mortals," she sighed, "and their bows."

* * *

Kagome winced as Kaede adjusted the bandage on her side where Mistress Centipede had ripped into her. "How's that? Perhaps I'll put more unguent on your belly," she offered.

"So, I noticed you're rebuilding the buildings destroyed by Mistress Centipede," Kagome said guiltily. "What a pain."

"Pain, yes, and just the beginning," Kaede agreed. "Now that the sacred Shikon no Tama is back among us, far worse than Mistress Centipede will come to claim it."

"Worse that yesterday?" Kagome breathed, unable to imagine anything worse.

"And not just yōkai, but humans whose hearts are more evil still, and only the jewel has the power to make real their petty, grasping ambitions."

"Speaking of petty, what are you still doing here?" Kagome asked Inuyasha, who was sprawled across the floor with his back to them. In the corner sat Noriko, polishing her blade with a cloth, her eyes never leaving Kaede and Kagome.

"I'm waiting for the jewel," Inuyasha snapped gruffly.

"With the beads around his neck, his threat is diminished," Kaede explained. "It is perhaps the only way we can allow him so close to the jewel." She looked pointedly at Noriko, who raised an eyebrow, crumpling half her mark. "

"Why _do_ you want the jewel anyway?" Kagome said, staring at it balanced in the palm of her hand. "You seem to be powerful enough already. What power can the jewel give you that you don't already have?"

"Ah, but he's just a hanyō," Kaede pointed out.

Inuyasha's fist slammed through the boards of Kaede's floor and Noriko sighed, sheathing her sword.

"You know what?" Inuyasha demanded. "I'm sick of hearing some dried up old witch I just met talk about me like she knows me!"

"So ye don't remember," Kaede said calmly, going to sit by the furnace. "I thought not. I am younger sister to Kikyō, she who bound ye to the tree, Kaede."

"You're Kaede?" Inuyasha blinked, though Noriko wasn't surprised.

She had been ordered by Inuyasha's father, the Inu no Taishō, to watch his son just before he died. Noriko had served admirably, guarding Inuyasha and Izayoi from threats both human and yōkai in nature. When Izayoi died, Noriko had begun protecting Inuyasha solely. Inuyasha hadn't been thrilled with the attention; in fact, his stubborn, independent nature, rebelled against it. Noriko would always remind him that he could order her away for good but he never did.

Noriko suspected that he had some misguided fear that if he dismissed her she would leave him forever. She had been with him all his life, like a comfort blanket, and he feared losing her, though he'd never admit it. And in truth, he never would lose her. She'd spent more than two hundred of her five hundred years with him. She had developed a fondness for him that saw beyond his gruff exterior, and she understood him almost as well as he understood her, though he really knew very little about her. Noriko had decided long ago that she would not fully abandon him if and when he ever dismissed her. She may be a bit freer with where she meant, may not stay so close to him, may visit other people and places, but she would never forget to return to him.

Despite the fact that Noriko was several centuries older than him, full yōkai, and female, the pair had formed a sort of companionable bond. To Inuyasha, Noriko was not a servant and to Noriko, Inuyasha was not her master. That illustrious title was one the Inu no Taishō had carried to his grave.

Regardless of the fact that Inuyasha was clearly not going anywhere after he was pinned to the tree, Noriko had stayed in the forest, feeling a sense of shame that she had not been able to prevent Inuyasha's sealing. She had thought Kikyō trustworthy. By the time she realized what had happened it was too late. Inuyasha was sealed and Kikyō, dead. She had stayed beside him in the forest as a form of self-imposed penance, earning her the nickname 'Lady of the forest' from the villagers.

Noriko sincerely regretted that once again she had not been by his side in the fight for the Shikon no Tama. She had been three villages over gathering supplies, the only time she left the forest. She had grown up living the somewhat pampered life of a powerful daiyōkai and had never been able to truly leave it behind. As such, she had furnished her cave with a futon and luxurious pillows that occasionally needed to be repaired as time and the elements took a toll on them.

She had known Kaede the moment she saw her enter the forest. She'd watched the 'brat,' as Inuyasha fondly called her, grow into the woman and then elder that he saw today.

"If you're this old, Kikyō must be pushing a hundred," Inuyasha snorted, leaning back on his arms. Noriko looked up sharply and narrowed her arms. He didn't know. She hadn't had the time to tell him. She'd gotten him off the bridge and then silently resumed her place at his side as he followed Kagome to Kaede's. "Sure glad I don't got to worry about getting old. At least, not for a while anyway."

"Kikyō didn't worry either. Kikyō died."

Inuyasha's ears twitched. It was subtle, but it was there. Despite the fact that she had sealed him to a tree, Inuyasha still cared for his traitorous love.

"It was on the same day she shot ye with the arrow."

"Gee, sorry to hear it," Inuyasha said mockingly, but his bark had lost some of its bite. He stretched out on the ground again. "Not that I really care or nothing. It's one less thing for me to worry about."

"I wouldn't let my guard down yet Inuyasha," Kaede said warningly. "I know now that Kagome is the reincarnation of my sister Kikyō."

Noriko blurred and Kagome flinched as the yōkai appeared at her side.

How did she-?

The thought was cut off as once again Kagome had her chin gripped and yanked from side to side.

"Get ye back!" Kaede ordered, rising and moving a hand towards her bow while Kagome smacked at the hand holding her. The grip on her chin tightened painfully as Noriko looked up at Kaede.

"While you may be powerful Kaede, do not forget to whom you speak," Noriko said coldly. "Had you any chance at killing me I would be far less willing to come into your home."

"Still talking like some lady."

"I _am_ a lady, Inuyasha," Noriko reminded him absently as she scanned Kagome's face. There was the lingering impression of Kikyō around the mouth and chin… She tested, stretching out a bit of youki. A tiny bit of purity rose up against her, not enough to damage, but enough to warn. The girl didn't even seem to realize she did it. "I agree, priestess."

"It isn't just because ye resemble her," Kaede said as Noriko released Kagome. "The Shikon no Tama is in your body. That alone is proof enough. It's up to ye now child, to take over its protection."

"You burned it with Kikyō's remains to keep it from me," Noriko realized. "Clever priestess…."

"You went after it after Kikyō sealed me to the tree?" Inuyasha demanded, turning to Noriko. "But… you never even wanted it! You called it a waste!"

"My power is such that the disadvantages of the Shikon no Tama outweigh the advantages," Noriko said. "I have no personal use for it. However-" she paused and looked at Kagome and Kaede "-I had intended to try and use it to free you, but it was gone before I could claim it."

"So, why haven't you tried to take it from me?" Kagome asked her. "If you're so powerful, you could do it easily, right?"

"I could," Noriko nodded. "But as I said, I have no use for its power personally and now that Inuyasha is free it holds no appeal. Be glad for that, or this village would be little more than a pile of bodies and wrecked houses."

* * *

"We need to talk," Inuyasha said.

"Of course, my lord," Noriko said, bowing her head in acknowledgement as she floated to her feet lightly.

"I've told you before, don't 'my lord' me," Inuyasha grumbled as he walked out of Kaede's house, Noriko following. They both drew eyes on their way through the village. Inuyasha held himself with strength and dominance, just as his father had, though he lacked his father's poise, something Noriko had told him before. Noriko possessed that poise in excess. She moved gracefully, almost seeming to float as she moved, and positively exuding elegance.

"Here's good," Inuyasha said, stopping at the base of a tree by the river. He turned to look at Noriko only to find her on the ground on one knee. He blinked. He'd think of Noriko as a companion and then she'd turn around and do something like this and remind him that she was really a servant.

"I beg your forgiveness, my lord, for my negligence," Noriko said, bowing her head. "I have left you to be sealed in the past and left you only last night to be subjugated. I have failed in my post as guard and as such my life is forfeit to you. I will beg your forgiveness one last time before giving myself to your judgment, and I ask only for one small-"

"Will you shut up?" Inuyasha demanded. "I'm not going to kill you or anything. I told you not to come with me when I went to visit Kikyō and no one would blame you if you left me sealed to that tree and thought I'd never be unsealed. And _don't call me_ _my lord._"

Noriko looked up at him in mild irritation. "Inuyasha, I failed. I require you to exonerate me, which you have just done, in a roundabout way. I do this for the sake of honoring the deal struck with your father."

"That deal," Inuyasha humphed, jumping up and landing in a crouch on a branch high above. "It's caused me nothing but trouble. I've been stuck with you for ages."

"If you wish to be free of my presence, you need only dismiss me," Noriko reminded him, flying up to sit beside him.

"Feh. Then who would I talk to, the trees?"

Noriko smiled. They had dropped back into the easy teasing they had once done faster than she had expected. Her normal expression of detached confidence faded into something softer, more open. "I missed you," she admitted.

"I didn't miss you," Inuyasha snorted, and then his expression wavered. "It didn't feel like fifty years to me. It barely felt like days. She died… and I never knew."

Noriko's hand flew out and she snatched a fruit from the air an instant before it hit Inuyasha's back. He had also reached and ended up closing his hand around her wrist. He released her without so much as a blush. Their relationship was not in any way romantic, one built on mutual understanding.

Noriko reversed the angle of the fruit and Inuyasha turned to stare at Kagome on the ground below laden down with food.

"Hey, don't you want to come down and eat?" Kagome called up to them.

"Where'd you get all that stuff?" Inuyasha called back.

"The villagers gave it to me. Why don't you come down here and help me eat it?" she offered. Inuyasha looked at Noriko, who raised an eyebrow at him. He shrugged and dropped and she did the same. Kagome spread out a blanket and set down her bags of fruit and vegetables. Inuyasha sat on her left, Noriko to his side. Kagome selected a fruit and bit into it while Inuyasha sat beside her, crouched and tense, eying her suspiciously.

"I don't know what you're up to, but I'm not buying it," he informed her.

"Buying what?" Kagome asked. "Listen, it's fair to say you don't like me very much, do you?"

"_Way_ more than fair."

"Whatever! It's not even me you dislike, it's this Kikyō person."

Inuyasha let out a signature 'feh' and dropped his food, jumping back up into the tree.

"I'm not Kikyō, I'm Kagome, okay?" Kagome yelled up. "Can't we just call a truce?"

"Hah, I knew it!" Inuyasha said, jumping up and balancing easily on the branch, pointing down at Kagome accusingly. "You're trying to lure me into a false sense of security! What you don't get is that I'm just after the jewel!"

A blue slipper flew out of nowhere and smacked the back of his head. Inuyasha jerked forwards and hit the ground. He glared up at Noriko. She was fitting her shoe back on with her right hand while she nibbled at a fruit held in her left with her fangs.

"I thought you were my guard! Not my opponent!" he shouted angrily, heaving himself upright.

"Correct," Noriko agreed with a nod, taking another bite. "As your guard, I should now go and kill myself. As your friend, I should have hit you harder. She'd sharing her food with us. Screaming at her is not a polite way of saying thank you. Honestly Inuyasha, I know the concept of manners doesn't escape you. You should use them more often."

* * *

"What's your rush Inuyasha?" Noriko asked as she caught up to Inuyasha as he sprinted out of the village.

"That idiot girl's gone off by herself!" Inuyasha replied. "We've got to go find her!"

"Well then," Noriko purred. "Sic her, boy!"

Inuyasha gave her glare as he inhaled deeply. "I hate you sometimes…"

Noriko laughed as they sped along, hair and cape flying behind them.

"Idiot girl," Inuyasha cursed, hopping up in a tree and pausing to inhale. "I don't care where _she_ goes, but she took the_ jewel_ with her."

Inuyasha's nose lead them to a temple that was in the process of falling down. Voices came from inside and Noriko's nose wrinkled at the smell of fetid meat and unwashed men.

"Thieves," she sighed as she drew back her foot and kicked a hole in the wall. Inuyasha charged through it.

The room was in shambles. There were injured or dead thieves all over, the walls and supporting columns crumbling. The door was blocked and the floor was covered in debris. Kagome was standing there, turning to face an eight foot tall man with abnormally pale skin and abnormally empty eyes. He swung his katana down at her and Inuyasha jumped, catching it with his wide sleeve. The metal snapped and Kagome gaped as Noriko charged in.

Inuyasha jumped and punched the man repeatedly in the face, snapping his head from side to side. Noriko didn't bother to draw her blade. She slid between the man's legs, popped up, and kicked his knee, dropping him. The thieves fled from the room in the wake of the initial flurry of blows.

"We're outta here boss!" one called.

"I can't believe you actually came!" Kagome said, positively glowing as she walked up to Inuyasha.

"Where is it, is the jewel safe?" Inuyasha snapped immediately.

"Jewel?" Kagome said blankly, her happy expression sliding off of her face.

"Oh no! Tell me you did not just _say_ that!" Inuyasha raged. Kagome giggled nervously. The big man began to rise and Noriko turned. She gave a little hop and landed on the giant's shoulders. She placed one hand under each side of his jaw and jumped off, flipping as she went. The man's head tore free and went flying across the room as Noriko gently lowered herself to the ground.

The corpse fell forwards, the skin and viscera turning to dust. From that dust flew a carrion crow with a squawk, flying out of the hole Noriko had made on their entrance.

"It's getting away!" Kagome cried. "Aren't you going after it?"

"Maybe you hadn't noticed but the world is full of yōkai. You want me to go after them all?"

"But-"

"No but! You want to start doing the fighting, be my guest! In the meantime," he said as they climbed out of the temple. "Where's the jew- ah!"

He stared furiously after the crow flying off with the jewel in its beak.

"That stupid crow is making off with the jewel!" Inuyasha shouted. He whirled on Kagome. "What's wrong with you?"

"What do you mean what's wrong- Go after it!" Kagome shouted.

"Ugh, come on!" Inuyasha snapped, yanking her out of the temple. He paused suddenly, Kagome slamming into his back, and Noriko knew immediately what he had seen. There was no guarantee, but… She seized the bow and quiver anyway and tossed it to Inuyasha. He thrust them into Kagome's startled hands and yanked her onto his back.

"What are you waiting for?" Inuyasha demanded, taking to the treetops. "Shoot it!"

"You're kidding, right?" Kagome replied. "I've never used a bow in my life!"

"Look, the crow lives by eating human flesh. Imagine what'll happen if it swallows the jewel."

"Too late," Noriko said grimly.

"It swallowed the jewel!" Kagome cried. "Okay, I'll try it."

Noriko glanced to the side and saw Inuyasha's expression. It was a greedy look, one she did not like in the slightest. His eyes flicked from the crow to the girl on his back.

"No!" Noriko shouted. She stepped in front of Inuyasha. He slammed into her and the three of them rolled.

"What the hell is your problem?" Inuyasha demanded from underneath Kagome. He shoved her off roughly. "It's getting away!"

"I will not let you kill her," Noriko hissed in his ear as she helped him up. She took Kagome this time, and tugged her onto her own back.

"Oh, I'm heavy, I-" Kagome began, expecting her weight to be too much for the skinny girl.

"It's easier for me to carry you than it is for Inuyasha," Noriko explained. "I'm stronger."

"Theoretically," Inuyasha grumbled as they took off again. "Come on, Kikyō was a master archer! Take it in one shot!"

"I told you, I'm not Kikyō!" Kagome shouted at him. Noriko jumped, getting Kagome closer to the crow. She intended to go for it if Kagome missed, which she did, but she hadn't taken into account the weight on her back. She didn't get as high as she had intended to and she fell back to the ground faster.

"I thought you said she was a master archer?" Kagome grunted as she was jostled by their landing.

"She was! It's you that's the klutz!" Inuyasha snapped. "And what was that, Noriko? Why didn't you get it?"

"Apologies," she snapped. "I'm not exactly used to ferrying mortals about like a horse."

"Then give me that!" Inuyasha shouted, yanking Kagome back. He jumped and Kagome fitted a arrow into the bow. Predictably, she missed. Noriko thought Inuyasha was expecting rather a lot from the poor girl. It was clear she'd never handled a bow before, and while admittedly it wasn't Noriko's best weapon, she knew the basics. Kagome had no knowledge. Add to that the jostling, the wind, the moving target… She hadn't a prayer.

"That's it!" Inuyasha shouted, dumping Kagome unceremoniously on the ground. "I don't care what the old woman says! You! Are not! Kikyō! I'm out of here."

"Inuyasha, wait!" Kagome pleaded. A clawed hand snatched her up and she found herself on Noriko's back again. She wondered vaguely if this was what it felt like to be the ball in a game of catch, passed back and forth.

"He won't wait. This is his heart's desire," Noriko explained.

"Why does he want this thing so badly?" Kagome demanded as they ran.

"That's his business," Noriko said. "It's not my place to tell you."

"How do you put up with him?" Kagome huffed.

"I'm required to. I am his guard."

"But!"

"No!" Noriko snarled, staring. The crow had snatched up a small boy, a meal, and was flying over the river. Kagome saw Inuyasha lunge and realized what he was about to do.

"Inuyasha, no! you'll hurt the boy!"

"Stay out of this!" Inuyasha yelled. "Sankon Tessō!"

The boy dropped into the river with a rain of gore and blood falling around him.

"Help! Help me!" he screamed.

"Stay here!" Noriko shouted as the horrified villagers took off down the bank after the boy.

"Where are you-?"

Kagome watched as Noriko jumped, flying out over the river gracefully, her cape blowing around her. Her expression was soft as she reached down to the boy. He grabbed her hand gratefully and she smiled. Backed by the sun, she looked like some sort of angel. It was then that it hit Kagome just how powerful yōkai were. She'd fallen into a world of magic and she was unprepared for what that meant. But there was a burning desire inside her now to understand fully.

Noriko flew back to the bank with the boy pressed to her chest. She dropped lightly and set him on the ground.

"Are you alright?" is worried mother said. She brushed his bangs back and stared over every inch of him frantically. The boy let out a nervous giggle.

"I'm fine, momma."

"Thank you so much, Lady," his mother said, looking up at Noriko in awe.

"Thank you for saving me," the boy chirped. Noriko nodded.

"It's getting away!" Inuyasha screamed from the opposite bank.

"What?" Kagome asked, turning. She saw the crow, reformed, and flying away. "Well, I guess your off the hook for now pal."

The boy yelped and Noriko and Kagome both turned to him in surprise, looking him over. The crow's foot was still gripping the back of his shirt, trying to go back to the crow's body.

"I know," Kagome muttered. She walked over to one of the village men. "Can I borrow your bow?"

"Uh, sure."

Kagome worked quickly, tying the foot to an arrow. She fit it into the bow and raised it, taking aim.

"I can do this, I know I can," she muttered, and released. The arrow flew straight and true and thunked into the bird's body. It disintegrated, leaving the Shikon no Tama floating there in a ball of purple light.

Noriko's ears twitched as she heard the tiny sound of something cracking. "No… She couldn't have…"

"That light," Kagome whispered. "Where's it coming from?"

The ball of light shattered, pieces flying everywhere, trailing light like tiny comets. They arched overhead, out of sight. Some vanished among the trees and mountains, some kept going.

* * *

"Are you sure it fell around here?" Inuyasha demanded. The sun was setting and they'd been following Kagome's shifting directions since the drama that afternoon ended.

"Well yeah, kind of. Though I'm still kind of worried about that light," Kagome said nervously.

"As you should be," Noriko murmured. Her hand darted out, seizing the head of the crow that came flying out of the bushes with a cry. Her grip tightened and it exploded in a gush of hot blood and shards of bone. Noriko dropped the mass and drew a cloth from inside her breastplate, wiping away the blood and brain from her hand. She crouched over it and lifted out a small shard.

"I hope that's not what I think it is," Kagome whimpered.

"And what do you think it is?" Inuyasha hissed.

"You are a correct, Kagome," Noriko said. "It's a shard from the jewel."

"_**What did you say?"**_


	3. Kaede Injured, Kagome Gone

Kaede Injured, Kagome Gone

"What did you do to it?"

"Stop barking Inuyasha."

"Leave it to her to wind up breaking it!"

"Technically it wasn't Kagome who broke it, but the crow's foot she attached to her arrow that _actually_ caused it," Kaede pointed out. "As ye saw, the jewel has now been scattered into many pieces. One hundred, one thousand, who knows? Yet however many shards there may be, all it will take is one in the hands of the wrong person to bring disaster."

"I'm so sorry," Kagome said, her voice small and apologetic. "I didn't mean to."

"Kagome, Inuyasha, Noriko, only by the three of ye working together will ye be able to recover the shards of the jewel."

"Huh?"

"You won't catch me complaining," Inuyasha snorted. "I'm one of the 'wrong hands' you were talking about."

"Oh, aye, that I know too well."

"Ow!"

"Inuyasha, this is serious. I'll ask you put aside your personal agenda for a moment to help ensure the world doesn't end, or something equally as dramatic and bad," Noriko said calmly, sliding her shoe back on. "Now, I don't know about you Kagome, but I would rather like a bath."

Kagome reached up and felt her hair. It was greasy and felt disgusting. She hadn't bathed since she'd gotten here and she smelt a bit too. "That sounds wonderful," Kagome agreed.

It was decided. Kaede packed up a few things and they made the trip to the river with a few necessities for cleaning Kagome's clothes.

"How do you get out of that?" Kagome asked, looking at Noriko's breast plate and collar. She was a bit curious. She couldn't see any way she could possibly lift it off or slide it down.

"Like this," Noriko said. Her armor and cape vanished with a flick of her youki.

"Where'd it go?" Kagome blinked. Noriko paused. That would involve some explaining…

"Back inside me, one could say," she mused as she began unwrapping the lower part of her pants. "My armor is a manifestation of my youki, my power. It can repair itself if damaged. I can conjure and vanish it at will."

"Oh," Kagome said. She watched curiously as Noriko pulled off her pants and shirt, leaving her in breast bindings and underwear. She turned away, feeling embarrassed, and also slightly nauseated.

Noriko didn't just look painfully skinny, she was. Her ribs jutted out, each one visible, and so was her spine. She looked like someone had sucked every inch of fat from her stomach and then pulled her skin as tight as it would go.

"Unattractive, I know."

"Oh, I wasn't… I mean, I didn't mean to-"

"Its fine," Noriko soothed the nervous girl. "A family trait, one I can't help. It doesn't affect me though. I simply never have to worry about washing my waist." Noriko stripped off her undergarments and leapt lightly into the water, followed by Kagome. Kagome looked wonderingly at the red stripes adorning Noriko. They arched over the bones of her hip, across her ribs, over her shoulders, at her wrists and ankles.

The two girls cleaned off while Kaede worked to get the stains out of Kagome's clothes. Noriko's own were made with yōkai cloth, which repelled dirt and blood and repaired itself. They finished with their bath and stepped out of the water.

Kagome paused, staring at Inuyasha, who was sitting up on the bluff watching them. Noriko ignored him and kept walking, gathering her clothes and dressing.

"Sit boy!"

"Are ye alright, Inuyasha?" Kaede asked curiously while Kagome seized the clothes Kaede had given her to wear until her own were fixed and dashed behind a bush.

"Aw man, I forgot about this stupid necklace of yours," Inuyasha grunted, tugging at the beads.

"It served you right for spying on me, you peeping Tom!" Kagome snapped, blushing furiously.

"Hah, shows what you know!" Inuyasha snorted. "I really came for-"

"He really came to steal this shard, correct?" Kaede asked, holding it up.

"You think you're pretty smart old hag," Inuyasha grumbled as he moved into a sitting position, tucking his hands up his sleeves.

"I see. Ye think to do it alone, do ye?" Kaede asked. "Ye forget only yon girl can find those shards, while only ye and your companion have strength to take them back once found."

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm still here, aren't I? I can put up with anything for the Shikon jewel!"

"You really do hate me, don't you?"

Noriko finished replacing her armor with another flick of youki and looked up. Her breath caught and she would have sworn Kikyō was come back from the grave. Kagome bore such a resemblance to her in miko clothes it was eerie, and it was clear Inuyasha thought the same form the pained look on his face. He growled and glared at the two miko.

"And what ails ye now, Inuyasha?" Kaede demanded. He kept growling as he scooted away towards Noriko, who was brushing out her hair. She sighed and turned to his hair, running her claws through it to calm his beast. He melted and positively purred before straightening up and slapping her hand away.

"I ain't some pup anymore, Noriko," he grunted.

"To me, you are," she snorted. "I do have over the centuries on you, you know."

"Lady Kaede?" They all looked up to see a woman from the village standing there and looking frightened, a baby on her back. "It's my daughter." Kaede rose and went to her. The two muttered for a moment about the child's symptoms and then Kaede nodded.

"I see. I'll be back to check on ye two later. Try not to fight!"

Kaede left with the woman and it was silent for a moment before Inuyasha looked at Kagome.

"Hey."

"Now what do you want?"

"Get undressed!"

Kagome picked up a rock and slammed it down on his head. Noriko's slipper came flying out of nowhere and whacked him three times across the face.

"Ow!" Inuyasha whimpered. "That hurt! What's wrong with you crazy women?"

"You're such a pig," Kagome said primly.

"I didn't say get naked stupid!" Inuyasha raged, pointing to her clothes drying on a pole. "I just can't stand seeing you in those clothes!"

"Why, because I look like Kikyō?"

"That's got nothing to do with it, okay," Inuyasha huffed, turning away like a petulant child. Kagome looked up at Noriko, who nodded. She turned back to Inuyasha.

"Look, I don't want to do this either, okay? But we've got to work together!"

"_I _ain't gotta do _nothing!_ It's you who needs me."

"Oh I get it. So you don't care if I just go home!" She stomped over and grabbed her clothes, bundling them up.

"Hey, where you going?" Inuyasha demanded.

"What do you care?" Kagome sighed wearily. She was homesick and tired of fighting and she simply didn't want to deal with him anymore. "I'm going home. Goodbye Inuyasha."

"You can't just leave, you-"

"My name is Kagome, not you."

"Wait, stupid!"

"It's not stupid, either," Kagome deadpanned as she walked along the bank.

"Will you just wait and listen to me?"

"Why, so you can try to stop me?"

"No, so you can give me your jewel shard!"

"Idiot," Noriko sighed as she groomed her nails.

"Oh this?" Kagome said sweetly, holding up the little red pouch she kept it in. "Sit boy!"

"You really are hopeless with girls," Noriko pointed out Kagome stalked off, twirling the pouch around her finger.

"Why you-"

"It's Kagome."

"When you feel up to it, shall we return to the village?" Noriko asked calmly, holding out a hand. She pulled Inuyasha up and they took off together for the village, jumping from tree to tree.

"Stop," Noriko said immediately when they entered the village.

It was a strange tableau. Girls from the village hovered there, suspended by their elbows. They all held weapons, usually implements like scythes or butchering knives. They simply floated, heads lolling, in a circle around the pair. They raised their weapons and floated forwards.

"Alright, now this is what I'm talking about!" Inuyasha grinned. "I knew something was strange. I recognize these girls from the village. Look, is someone going to tell me what's going on or do you want another fight, because that's fine if you do!" he yelled. "Just don't' expect I'll go easy on you."

"Inuyasha, wait!" Noriko and Inuyasha turned to see Kaede crawling along the ground, her hair mussed and her left shoulder dripping blood. "Do not hurt then," she begged. "It is not their doing!"

"Old Kaede," Inuyasha muttered. He and Noriko hopped over to her. "What happened? You look awful!"

"Must ye always treat an old woman thus?"

"About the girls," Inuyasha said, standing as they closed in around them. "It's them or us, and I choose us!"

"But something else is controlling them!" Kaede gasped as she realized something. "Where is Kagome? Tell me ye know where she is!"

"All I know is she said she was going home, wherever that is," Inuyasha shrugged. "What's the big deal, anyway? I can handle this without her!"

"Nay nay!" Kaede protested. "Ye must not hurt them!"

"Your heart bleeds in more ways than one old woman," Inuyasha snorted. "But if you plan to live until tomorrow, then we've got to do something!"

"Control the strings and you control the puppet!" Kaede grunted as Inuyasha and Noriko dodged the first rush of the girls.

"I don't see you helping old woman!"

"Find the hair! Cut it and they will wake!" Kaede yelled.

"I don't see any hair!" Inuyasha shouted as the girl's all rose.

"A trap!" Kaede realized. "Inuyasha, flee the hair!"

Noriko was there in a blink, sword raised. The hair tightened around the pair of them, pushing them together before the blade sliced through it. They broke apart and the girls dropped. Noriko twirled her sword, an old habit, and sheathed it.

"Thanks," Inuyasha grunted.

Metal clanked and clothes rustled. Men floated out from behind the huts holding naginata and farming tools.

"Men from the village!" Kaede gasped.

"You know something?" Inuyasha sighed. "I'm getting real sick of this."

"Inuyasha, save yourself," Kaede said weakly, slumping. Her shoulder was red with spreading blood. "Forget this old woman."

"Feh, spare me the noble act," Inuyasha scoffed. Kaede pitched forwards on the ground, moaning, her fingers dancing over her shoulder weakly. "Hey, are you okay? Oh, great." He heaved Kaede up onto his shoulder, heedless of her wounds, and took off, jumping into the treetops. Noriko flew after him.

"Inuyasha, beware the hair!" Kaede warned weakly. "If you touch it, you will-!"

"What was that old woman?" Inuyasha called back.

"Never mind."

It was sunset when they stopped. Inuyasha laid Kaede on the ground on a bed of leaves and Noriko lifted three leaves from the ground. They dissolved into pink sparkles and reformed into a roll of bandages, a spool of thread, and a needle. She hacked away the shoulder of Kaede's shirt while Inuyasha spoke to her and began stitching up the wound.

"Did I hear you say you could see this hair?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Uh huh," Kaede nodded weakly.

"So can you tell me where it's being pulled from!"

"Don't be a fool," Kaede protested. "With me in this condition, even if I knew where the hair was being pulled from, ye must find Kagome!"

"You mean she can see this hair too?" Inuyasha pressed.

"Aye. And to defeat this foe ye'll be needing that power. Without it, ye have no hope. None…" Kaede stopped talking, her breath huffing out.

"Is she dead?" Inuyasha asked Noriko, who had already placed two fingers on the side of Kaede's neck.

"No, just unconscious. A moment," she asked, raising another leaf. It transformed into a thin futon and they heaved Kaede onto it. Noriko finished bandaging her shoulder and lifted one last leaf. It turned into a blanket dappled green and brown. She threw it over Kaede, completing the illusion of a lump of earth covered in leaves.

"That's handy," Inuyasha remarked, as he often had over the years.

With Kaede tended they were off through the woods again, Inuyasha straining to pick up Kagome's scent.

"Curse that woman, taking off right when I need her," Inuyasha muttered.

"Don't make me use my slipper."


	4. Yura - Foe or Puppet?

Yura – Foe or a Puppet? 

"That's her alright," Inuyasha said, sniffing the ground. "I'd know her anywhere.

"I'm sure she'd be pleased to know you can now differentiate between her and Kikyō," Noriko smiled as they walked to the Bone Eater's Well. Inuyasha crouched, poking at the strange white and green costume Kagome had arrived wearing.

"Why'd she leave her clothes?" he wondered, then he realized. "She did it. She went back to her own world. Through here was it?" he hopped up on the edge of the well and dropped down.

"Inuyasha, no!" Noriko protested. Letting out an irritated snarl, she dropped down after him, expecting to hit the ground. She perked up when she realized his scent was gone, just before she passed into some strange plane between worlds. It was dark, like night, with little lights in the distance. Noriko wondered what they were but refused to be distracted when she saw Inuyasha in front of her. She flew up to him, claws clipping his ear in a disciplinary way.

"What'd I do now?" he groaned, rubbing his ear.

"Warn me before you decide to jump into an unknown portal please."

They emerged in a dry patch of land. Looking up there was only darkness shot through with a few bits of light, enough to tell they were in the bottom of the well and the top had been boarded up. Noriko shot up, forearm raised, and blasted through the boards. Inuyasha followed her and they landed in a clatter of splintered wood. Noriko bent and examined wood with a slip of paper pasted to it. She chuckled.

"They had a very hopeless priest here," she chuckled.

"He's not our problem. That idiot is," Inuyasha grumbled as he walked up the steps to the door and slid it open. They stepped outside and both were set back on their heels for a moment by the assault of unfamiliar sounds and smells. Noriko's nose wasn't quite as keen as Inuyasha's, but she still relied on it quite heavily, along with her sense of hearing.

"In there," she said, pointing to a house with light glowing from the windows. Inside she could hear Kagome chanting about food while an older voice rambled about protecting her.

"Feh, not getting away that easily," Inuyasha smirked, stalking towards the house. They walked in and down the hall towards the room where the voices were. Inuyasha slammed open the door and they both stood there, staring and being stared at.

There was a young boy, presumably a younger bother to Kagome. He looked amazed and interested. His clothes were very strange. The older man was dressed in clothes more like what they were used to, with grey hair and a wrinkly face. There was a young woman with short, curly hair and a kind face, definitely Kagome's mother. And sitting with her back to them was Kagome herself.

"We are not amused," Noriko said sternly. Kagome turned, a piece of fish suspended halfway to her mouth.

"I-Inuyasha?" she whispered. "N-Noriko?"

"Idiot!" Inuyasha raged. "Who told you you could go home?"

"But... how did you get…"

"Through the well of course!" Inuyasha shouted.

"The well?" Kagome repeated blankly. "But the well is-"

"You lie!" her grandfather shouted. "I made those spirit wards myself!"

Noriko snickered. "Oh, _you_ did? They were completely ineffective."

Her grandfather burst into tears.

"Grandpa," her brother huffed.

"Come on, we're leaving!" Inuyasha said, seizing Kagome's arm and yanking her towards the door.

"No I'm not, and you can't make me!" Kagome shouted.

"Stay right there!" her mother shouted angrily, standing.

"What now?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Mom, what-?"

"Your ears, are they real?" Mrs. Higurashi asked, tweaking them interestedly.

"Me next, me next!" the boy pleaded.

"Lady Higurashi, that's not advisable," Noriko cautioned, laying a hand on the woman's shoulder as she struggled to contain her giggles.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the woman said, stepping back.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome said suddenly, staring intently at his shoulder. "Do you see that?"

"See what?" Inuyasha asked, following her stare and finding nothing. "I don't see anything."

"It's a hair on your shoulder," Kagome said, picking it up between her fingers. She gasped as a drop of blood appeared on her hand. "It moved!"

"Kagome, your hand!" her grandfather shouted.

"What is it?" her mother asked.

"It's here," Kagome whispered. She turned and ran from the room, Noriko and Inuyasha following her to the well house. She wrenched open the doors and gasped. "Hair! Lots and lots of it!"

"The old crone was right," Inuyasha observed. "You can see it."

"You did it!" she shouted, turning on them. "The hair followed you so it came here!"

"Kagome?"

"Are you alright?"

Her family was right outside, trying to get into the well. Noriko turned, blocking the entrance.

"You shouldn't be here for this," she said calmly, shutting the doors. "Don't come in."

"There, in front of you!" Kagome yelled.

"What, where?" Inuyasha asked, swinging his claws at thin air. Noriko hit the ground as hair wound around her feet and yanked, tripping her. She landed with a grunt and glared. Teal light flashed around her and the hair disintegrated like ash.

"It regrows faster than you can cut!" Kagome said, staring back at the well fearfully. "Plus there's so much of it!"

Noriko was cocooned in a ball of youki that disintegrated any hair that came near her. She walked over to Inuyasha, drawing him inside the protective sphere before going towards Kagome.

"There!" the human shouted. "That one strand controls it all!" She ran outside the ball of protection and paused, staring at something the other two couldn't see. "There, cut this one!"

"Which one?" Inuyasha demanded, flailing wildly.

"Here!" Kagome called, reaching up and grabbing something invisible. She tugged a strand of hair from thin air. "Cut between my hands!"

"I see it!" Inuyasha grinned. He lunched, slicing through it. Kagome watched as the hair fell away and vanished.

"It pulled back in," Noriko realized.

"That's not good," Kagome said, rubbing her hurt hand and staring at the well absently. Her expression suddenly intensified. "Let's go. Right now."

"I thought you didn't want to go back?" Inuyasha mocked. This time, he ducked the incoming slipper. He turned to Noriko triumphantly. "Hah!" She flicked him in the air and replaced her shoe.

"I don't want to go back, but I have to," Kagome muttered. She looked up in surprise and so did Noriko as Inuyasha draped his top over her.

"It's made with hair of the fire rat," he said gruffly. "You'll have some protection at least."

"Thank you."

"Yeah, well, if you weren't so weird looking you wouldn't even need it," Inuyasha said, back to his usual self and done with his brief bout of caring.

"Yeah, well you're one to talk, dog boy!"

"Whatever, you ready?" Inuyasha asked, hopping up on the edge of the well. Noriko grabbed his shoulder as Kagome hopped up beside him.

"I'll go first this time," she said, giving him an annoyed look. "I'd rather not come out the other side to find you've been mangled by a hairball. That would be horribly embarrassing for your guard."

"Why you-!"

Noriko was already down the well and in the Feudal Era. She flew up and out, waiting for the others to follow. They came up fighting, of course, and Inuyasha yanked Kagome onto his back. They followed her instructions, chasing the main hair through the woods until they found a flickering bonfire.

Noriko made to cover Kagome's eyes, but she'd already seen.

"Where are their heads?" she asked softly.

"They're men from the village," Inuyasha realized, staring at the decapitated corpses. "Or their bodies anyway. Looks like their tops came clean off." He turned to see a silent Kagome had turned away. "Now what's wrong?" he huffed. "I'd better not hear you say you're scared or you want to go home."

Kagome picked up an abandoned bow and arrow and turned to face him. "Actually, I was going to borrow these," she said primly, straightening her spine.

"I don't know why you're bothering," Inuyasha snorted as they raced up a steep incline. "You know you won't hit it."

"I just need practice!" Kagome protested.

"Don't you mean learn?" Inuyasha asked snidely.

"Stop!" Kagome said abruptly. They froze. "They're closer. Lots closer." She gasped suddenly, her eyes going big. "They're here!"

Inuyasha and Noriko jumped up.

"To the left! From the right!" Kagome cried. "There's too many, you need to help!"

"Me?" Inuyasha demanded. "I thought that's why you're here! You're really not good for much, are you?"

"Left, left!" Kagome shouted and they moved. "Behind!"

"Give me a break!" Inuyasha shouted as he and Noriko dodged something they couldn't see any hint it. It was stressful and kept them on edge, adrenaline pounding.

"Noriko!" he shouted as he felt it wind around his wrist, staring at it. Noriko saw his look and lunged with her sword, hacking through it. hair caught around her foot and she was lifted up upside down and dangled there are hair gripped her other foot and her hands, spreading her out in midair.

"Noriko!" Inuyasha yelled, lunging for her.

"Inuyasha, no!" Kagome warned, but he was already caught just as Noriko was, only right side up.

"What is this?" he demanded.

"A giant hairball," Kagome said, gaping at the structure floating in midair. It had to be… "Yura's hiding place!"

Yura swung out of nowhere on a few strands of hair, perching on it like a tightrope walker. "Oh my, look at the cute puppy," she teased. "You must be Inuyasha!"

"And you must be Yura of the Hair!" Inuyasha snapped back. "How'd you know my name?"

"Let's just say a little birdy told me," Yura giggled in her innocent, sugary voice. "Everyone's saying that hanyō Inuyasha is playing fetch with some reincarnated miko!"

"Me?" Inuyasha roared. "With that half-wit human down there? Nothing doing!"

"You're both half-wits to me," Yura purred. "Just look what you've done to the poor jewel." She held up Kagome's shard. "Once I've gotten you three wrapped up I'll go find the rest of the shards for myself."

"You take care of me?" Inuyasha scoffed. "When this is done, you're going to wish you'd never met me or heard my name!" he shouted, breaking free of the hair and lunging for her. Yura flew out of the way n her hair and swept her arms around, sending hair at him.

"Not more of the same," Inuyasha groaned.

"You should consider carefully who you capture," Noriko said softly. Yura turned to look at her curiously. "Many will take it personally, and to some, you are not more than a gnat, flying around and buzzing annoyingly. Something quite easily swatted."

Youki surged and the hair around her turned to ash. Noriko flew at Yura, her hands wrapping around the yōkai's throat.

"You threatened my charge," she said calmly. Hair wrapped around her waist, ripping her away from Yura. She was free, but she had long lines scored into her throat now. Noriko crisped the hair around her waist and went after Yura, who was headed for Inuyasha. She caught the yōkai by her foot and hurled her towards the ground where Kagome had an arrow strung and was gaping at the fight, trying to find a time to shoot.

Yura tucked and rolled like an expert acrobat, landing lightly on more hair. It bent a bit and shot her back up. Noriko snapped out her hand, ripping through Yura's back and exposing the gleaming bone of her spine. Yura didn't seem at all concerned by the exposed bone. She drew her sword and gouged a long line in Inuyasha's chest as she soared past him. Inuyasha yelled and sagged in his bonds, blod blooming across his shirt. Noriko's eyes went wide and a growl left her lips as she whirled on Yura.

"I'm going to cut you into little pieces," the yōkai giggled.

"Funny," Noriko snarled. "I was about to say the same to you." She lunged, a blur, and Kagome gasped as Noriko's hand exploded through Yura's chest, gripping the pouch with the jewel shard. Her grip on the arrow slackened and it released, arcing pitifully through the air. However, it did go far enough to stick in the hairball. A small spot of glowing purple light appeared around the arrowhead and the hairball began to… melt, for lack of a better word. Skulls trailing hunks of black hair fell free.

"You emptied out my lair!" Yura shouted at Kagome and Noriko's eyes narrowed. Having a hand shoved through her chest wouldn't be a problem for her – it'd happened a few times before, after all – but she would at least react. Yura barely seemed to notice beyond it being a mild inconvenience to her.

"A puppet," Noriko smirked. "How dull. You're nothing but a puppet."

Yura screamed and yanked herself off of the hand, slicing her sword at Noriko, who executed a back flip, her feet catching Yura under the chin and snapping her head back.

"Inuyasha, that red skull!" Kagome yelled. "Concentrate on it!"

"What red skull?" Inuyasha demanded. Yura whirled and her hand snapped out, holding a red comb. She flicked it and Kagome, who had been scaling the massed of hair tumbling from the layer, fell as it rolled around her.

"A puppet for an inanimate object," Noriko continued. "I thought you pathetic before, but that's absolutely ridiculous."

"Shut up!" Yura roared as she yanked Kagome up in a wave of hair. "Stop pulling my hair, you're tangling it all up!"

"Hijin Kessō!"

Yura jerked and screamed as a flurry of red scythe-like blades sliced through her body. Inuyasha charged in, grabbing Kagome from the hair and falling to the ground with her.

"Inuyasha, look out!" Kagome cried as the hair fell around them. Inuyasha whirled to se Yura landing, her sword flying towards him. Then Noriko was there, catching the blade between two fingers carelessly.

"Pathetic and predictable," she sighed. She twisted the sword to the side. "And a poor blade. Really, what were you thinking challenging us? This has become boring. Kagome, where's that red skull you mentioned?"

"Here!" Kagome said, seizing something between her hands and holding it up. A red skull appeared between her hands. "This red skull! The hairs are connected to her hand!"

Yura's eyes went wide and she howled, retracting her blade for another hit.

"Wonderful. Hold it still please," Noriko said. She drew her blade and sliced through the bone. It cracked away, revealing a halved red comb like the one Yura used to orchestrate the movements of her hair. Yura herself fell back, her sword dropping. She vanished in a wave of blue dust, leaving behind only her clothes.

"So that's what Yura really was," Inuyasha scoffed, holding his hand over his wound.

"Yura was a comb?" Kagome said blankly.

"Sure. After everything you've seen since you've been here are you really surprise?" Inuyasha asked. "It's probably got powers because it was once used to comb the hair of the dead."

"Sometimes objects can absorb an evil aura and become, in a way, sentient," Noriko explained, picking up the other half of the comb. "It doesn't happen often, but enough that it's not particularly surprising."

"Yura didn't use it so much as it used her," Inuyasha continued.

"Something you must understand about this world, Kagome," Noriko warned. "Often, objects can be just as powerful and destructive as people."

Inuyasha staggered and fell, holding his chest. Noriko was at his side instantly, yanking off his shirt.

"Hey!" he protested as she examined it.

"Only a glancing wound," she decided. "You'll live."

"That wound only happened because I have your jacket," Kagome realized, leaning forwards.

"Forget that, what about the jewel?" Inuyasha demanded. Noriko held up a hand. The jewel pouch was dangling from her index finger. She tossed it to Kagome, who pulled the jewel out and examined it.

"How long do you think it will take?" she asked softly.

"Kagome, let's go," Inuyasha said, scooping up his robe and standing. Kagome stood, gaping at him. "What?"

"You've never said my name before."

"Feh, what of it?"

"It's just that I think you like me more now."

"Don't get to excited. I still think you're pretty useless."

"Remind me next time not to save you!"

"Ladies, you're both pretty," Noriko said drily. "Now let's go get poor Kaede."


	5. Inuyash and Noriko on Opposite Sides

Inuyasha and Noriko on Opposite Sides

"First aid treatment?" Inuyasha scoffed from up in the tree. Noriko lounged a few branches below him, curled up in her cape and sipping a cup of sake. "I don't need it, go away!"

"You do too!" Kagome yelled up at him. "I was there, remember? Come down here!"

"Kagome, what you must understand is that-" Noriko began, but it was too late.

"Sit boy!"

"What'd you do that for?" Inuyasha demanded, glaring up from the ground.

"I'll just take a look, okay?" Kagome said, kneeling beside him with a first aid kit. "Now take off your shirt."

"Kagome!" Noriko said sharply, trying to distract her. Kagome looked up. "Inuyasha is hanyō. His body heals quickly. His wounds are already completely gone."

"Really?" Kagome asked in surprise. She looked at Inuyasha apologetically. "Oh. Sorry. I didn't know. So Noriko, do you do the same?"

"Even more quickly," Noriko nodded.

"Ow!" Inuyasha exclaimed. He slapped a hand over his cheek and stared at it. "Well, if it ain't Myōga the flea."

"Flea," Kagome repeated.

"Myōga?" Noriko said in surprise, dropping down and crouching, staring down at him.

"Lady Noriko, always a pleasure," the tiny yōkai said politely. "Lord Inuyasha I've come to tell you-"

_Psshhhht!_

"What's that do?" Inuyasha asked, looking at the bottle in Kagome's hand.

"Ah, whoops?" she said weakly.

They gathered Myōga up and revived him, then they all returned to Kaede's and Myōga began to explain.

"What do you mean someone's trying to find my father's tomb?" Inuyasha asked.

"As guardian of his final resting place I could bear it no longer," Myōga said grimly.

"So you ran away," Inuyasha summed up.

"It's the remains that are important, and they are no longer there," Myōga said.

"No longer there? Then where are they?" Inuyasha asked.

"Regrettably sire, no one knows," Myōga shrugged.

"Some guardian you are," Inuyasha sighed.

"Inuyasha, they say that your father was a phantom beast, that the Western Lands were his domain."

"Can't say as I remember it that well," Inuyasha said carelessly, a little too carelessly. Noriko knew he was deflecting.

"Your father was a great yōkai among yōkai, great and powerful. He had especially tasty blood. And you, Lord Inuyasha, inherited that from him."

"What about his mother?" Kagome pressed.

"His mother was a beauty without compare, who-"

"That wasn't very nice!" Kagome protested as Inuyasha ground his foot into Myōga.

"Just drop it okay!" Inuyasha snapped, sweeping from the hut. "She died a long time ago."

Noriko rose and stalked out of the hut, following after him. As expected, she found him up a tree, staring at the moon.

"One would suspect you're half squirrel, not half dog," she said, floating up and sitting behind him.

"Go away Noriko, I'm not in the mood."

"You know I'm not leaving."

Inuyasha grumbled. "I know. You're annoying like that."

"You know it's only because I care about you that I'm here."

"It's because it's your job," Inuyasha snorted. Noriko grabbed his chin and yanked him around to look at her.

"Inuyasha, if I didn't care about you, I wouldn't have spent fifty years in a forest hoping you'd wake up. So don't you _ever_ tell me I only stay because it's my job. If you dismiss me I will leave, but I will not stop caring."

Inuyasha sighed. "I think you're the only one who'd have stuck with me this long."

"Others would, if you'd allow them. Kagome likes you."

"Yeah, but she's really annoying."

"You keep saying that but I don't think you mean it."

The wind picked up an silver and teal hair meshed together as two noses perked up.

"Get down!" Inuyasha said, dropping out of the tree and pressing Kagome, who'd been standing beneath watching them for quite a while, to the ground.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong?" she demanded.

"Something's coming, can't you feel it?"

"Quiet!" Noriko hissed, crouching on the branch. "The moon!"

Drifting in front of the moon was a funeral procession of kappa.

"A carriage? Kagome said as it floated, creaking, across the white of the moon. The back screen flapped in the wind and flicked back to reveal a beautiful face. "There's a woman inside!" She looked up to see Inuyasha walking forwards, staring up at the woman in shock. In the tree, Noriko was doing the same.

"My lady," she whispered.

"Inuyasha, what's wrong?" Kagome pressed, desperate to understand what was happening. She was apparently the only one who didn't recognize this woman.

"M-mother," he whispered.

"Inuyasha, it is you!" the woman cried. She whimpered as the chairs around her arms tightened.

"Mother!" Inuyasha shouted, taking a few running steps forwards.

"It can't be, your mother's dead!" Kagome reminded him. "You told me that yourself!"

Noriko snapped back to her senses with Kagome's words. The girl was right. She'd been to Lady Izayoi's funeral herself. And she was escorted by kappa.

_Jaken used to rule the kappa…_

The little beasts fled as a hand reached from the clouds and closed around the carriage, crushing it. Izayoi dangled from the hand pitifully, still wrapped in chains.

"Oni!" Noriko shouted, dropping next to Inuyasha as two glowing red eyes appeared in the darkness. The oni stepped forwards. Its skin was the color of rest, its hair dirty beige. It threw back its head and roared, revealing yellowed teeth.

"He's gonna hurt your mom!" Kagome yelled.

"No he's not!" Inuyasha roared, lunging for the oni. Fire roared down from its arm. Inuyasha dodged frantically and dropped back to the ground.

"Your aim has improved, Jaken!" Noriko called. "Still not very good though!"

"You missed!" Inuyasha yelled up.

"Do you know who that is?" Kagome asked Noriko. She nodded grimly.

"If it is who I think it is…"

"Jaken, once we're through I'll want him dead."

"Damn."

"Y-yes milord," Jaken stammered.

"It is you," Inuyasha growled. "Sesshōmaru!"

"Indeed," Sesshōmaru said with a small, amused smile. "I've quite missed you as well, _little brother._"

"He called you his brother," Kagome repeated. "Does that mean…?"

"This is not the time for stupid questions, Kagome," Noriko said tensely, her hand resting on her sword.

"A mortal," Sesshōmaru said, narrowing his eyes at Kagome. Noriko reached out and pushed Kagome behind her shoulder protectively, ushering her towards Inuyasha. "How… interesting."

"What of it?" Kagome called nervously.

"Hush," Noriko said tensely, pinching Kagome lightly. "Now is not the time to mouth off, nor is he a person to mouth of to."

"Others might be ashamed, but with you little brother, the girl quite suits you," Sesshōmaru said. Jaken tightened the chains around Izayoi's neck. "These human creatures… I should think you've had enough of them. Or is it a taste from father?"

"That's not all is it?" Inuyasha demanded. "You can't have come all the way here to tell me that!"

"Be not a fool," Sesshōmaru said, staring down his nose at Inuyasha. "I have no such time to waste."

"Perhaps if you told us what it is you sought we could help prevent you from wasting your time," Noriko said.

"Noriko," Sesshōmaru greeted. "Still playing the guard dog I see." His eyes flicked pointedly to the hand resting on the hilt of her sword. "Do you think to draw your blade on me?"

Noriko tensed for a moment and then shocked Kagome and Inuyasha as she bowed to him. "My apologies, my lord. Please forgive me for forgetting my place."

"Noriko, what the hell's wrong with you?" Inuyasha demanded. Noriko's eyes flicked to him.

"Inuyasha, I serve your family. My guardianship of you is simply my assignment. Lord Sesshōmaru is technically above me, though he _cannot_ command me." She glanced up at him. "What do you seek, my lord?"

"The tomb of my father. Where is it?" he demanded, asking both her and Inuyasha.

"Our father's tomb?" Inuyasha repeated. "How should I know?"

"Seeing, yet never seen. Protected, yet never known to its protector," Sesshōmaru quoted, and on the ground Kagome saw Noriko mouthing the words along with him worriedly. "No other clues are known."

"I've got no idea what you're talking about, and even if I did, I wouldn't help you!" Inuyasha shouted.

"I see," Sesshōmaru said simply. His hand flicked out, his poison whip snapping across the oni's face its grip on Izayoi tightened. "Then you leave me no choice but to let your mother's suffering be your teacher."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped as Izayoi whimpered.

"Like I'm going to fall for that, you bastard!" Inuyasha smirked. "She's been dead for years. I'm not that stupid!"

"A trick you say," Sesshōmaru repeated in amusement.

"You're who's stupid!" Jaken snapped and Noriko's lips tightened. She'd never liked that little kappa. "Recalling a soul from the dead is simple work for one such as Lord Sesshōmaru. He was even kind enough to give her flesh, yet her own son would deny her. Such a shame to be mother to one such as you."

"Inuyasha," Izayoi said, stretching out a hand. "I've come back Inuyasha. Back from the land of the dead." The oni's grip on her tightened and she collapsed, unconscious.

"Stop hurting her!" Inuyasha roared, lunging.

"No!" Noriko roared. She jumped too, her arm flashing out, catching Inuyasha around the shoulder and slamming him back to the ground. Inuyasha kicked out, catching Noriko in the face and throwing her back, blood spurting from her nose.

"Sankon Tessō!" Inuyasha roared, slicing the oni's hand away. It reared back, howling in pain, and Izayoi fell to the ground.

"Oh no!" Kagome shouted, rushing to Izayoi's side. "Are you okay?"

"Get back!" Noriko ordered, grabbing Kagome's shoulder and pulling her back roughly.

"Noriko, what's gotten into you?" Kagome demanded, batting her away. "Can't you see she's hurt?"

"She's not his mother!" Noriko snapped.

"Kagome, you and Noriko take my mother and get out of here!" Inuyasha called over his shoulder.

"I think not," Sesshōmaru said coldly. His poison whip snapped into the oni's face three times. "And you, you're worthless!"

The oni reached for the fake Izayoi with his remaining hand.

"Mother!" Inuyasha shouted, throwing himself in front of the hand to try and shield the three women.

"No!" Noriko roared, moving to throw herself between the fake Izayoi and Inuyasha.

The woman raised her hands, a ball of light held there. Inuyasha cried out as it made contact with his chest. The ball of light expanded, swallowing them all.

Noriko awoke to find herself in a beautiful garden. Lotus plants floated in a river. She and Kagome rested on a grassy bank. A gazebo sat in the middle of the water, stone steps leading out to it. Trees lined the edge of the bank. Inuyasha stood next to a woman in Izayoi's clothes.

Except this woman had no face.

_The Un-Mother._

* * *

_Okay so it's super short but I'm trying to keep it divided by episodes and there's not much for me to do in this episode. But of course, there's finally some Sesshomaru! Yay!  
_


	6. Noriko - Useless?

Noriko – Useless?

Noriko couldn't move and her voice was gone. Her eyes flamed and her youki flared. The illusion faded and she sat up to find herself still in that same swamp, chains falling away from her and unconscious kappa at her side.

"I held you to my heart, just as I'm doing now," the Un-Mother said, holding Inuyasha to her chest. She turned him around and hugged him. Her fingers slid inside his back. "I'll never let go. Not now, not ever."

"Get up!" Noriko barked at Kagome, but it had no effect. She seemed to see the truth, but she couldn't break free.

"Kagome, wake up!" Myōga said, appearing out of nowhere. "It's me, me, Myōga the flea!" he bit into Kagome's cheek and she raised a hand, slapping him. She sat up.

"What do you know," she said. "I'm not as paralyzed as I thought."

"Stop! No soul-sucking until I tell you!"

Kagome and the flea crouched behind a rock. Noriko, though, was fighting mad. She saw no reason for hiding.

"Jaken," she thundered, her voice low. Jaken gulped and turned to see her. Noriko advanced on him slowly.

"Let. Him. Go."

Jaken raised the nintōjō. Noriko snarled. Her hand snapped forwards. She yanked it from him and hurled it off into the night.

"Without that staff you are defenseless," she said coldly. "Now make her release him."

Inuyasha was already being sucked into the Un-Mother's chest. There was little time left before she got deep enough to extract that one tiny memory that could ruin her master's plans.

"Black pearl. On the right," Inuyasha groaned. And Noriko tensed, her eyes closing sadly.

"Hah!" Jaken said, taking in her expression. "Got something did she? Of course, a plan made by Lord Sesshōmaru could never fail to- Ack!"

Noriko heaved him up by the front of his shirt, growling. "Be thankful you are so useless. Otherwise I would take the time to kill you." That said, she hurled him aside and leapt at the Un-Mother.

"Let him go, please!" Kagome yelled, rushing forwards with Noriko after the Un-Mother as she flew backwards.

"No!" the Un-Mother wailed. She shoved him father into her chest.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome wailed. Noriko tackled the Un-Mother, bringing her to the ground and rolling her. She grabbed Inuyasha's shoulders and heaved, trying to pull him free.

"No!" the Un-Mother protested, bucking under her and trying to throw her off. Noriko's fist flashed forwards toward where her nose would be, followed by a backhand across the yōkai's face.

"What's wrong?" Kagome demanded, falling next to her. "Why can't you get him out?"

"Myōga?" Noriko demanded. "Do you know? I only recognized her, I don't know how her powers work."

"The reflection," Kagome whispered, looking at the murky water. In it was a reflection of the Un-Mother holding a very young Inuyasha. "Does that have something to do with it?"

"That's how it works, yes," Myōga nodded.

"Break it!" Noriko ordered Kagome as she kept the Un-Mother pinned to keep her from pulling him any deeper. "Kagome, go!"

Kagome ran to the edge of the water and leapt in, her feet splashing into the middle of the illusion. The Un-Mother shrieked and Inuyasha was thrown backwards, Noriko getting pinned under him as he hit the ground.

"Oh Inuyasha!" Kagome murmured, dropping to her knees at his side. "Are you okay?"

"Huh?" Inuyasha said blearily. He shook his head and his eyes sharpened with rage directed at the Un-Mother. "How dare she?" he raged. "You pretended to be my- I fell for it! I can't believe I thought she was my-"

"Shh, I thought she was to for a moment," Noriko said soothingly. "And I knew her even longer than you did."

"But it was Jaken and your brother Sesshōmaru," Kagome reminded him.

"What did you say?" Inuyasha snapped.

"Inuyasha." Three heads snapped up to see Sesshōmaru standing there triumphantly. "I know where it is now."

"Sesshōmaru!" Inuyasha roared. Sesshōmaru crossed the gap between them in a blink and picked Inuyasha up by his throat. "You bastard."

"All this time, of all the places to hide it, right below our very own noses. Or to be technical, above our very own noses," Sesshōmaru said. "Right above, one might say. Father was determined to keep it secret, which is why he chose here to hide it."

"What are you talking about?" Inuyasha demanded, grabbing Sesshōmaru's wrist. "You're making no sense at all."

"Well then little brother, since it was obviously done without your knowing, why don't you come with me and see for yourself?" Sesshōmaru raised his hand, two fingers extended, and yellow light flew from them, connecting his claws to Inuyasha's right eye.

"No," Noriko whispered, eyes wide. "He found it."

Sesshōmaru's eyes flicked to her. "I should have known you would be aware of its location."

"Noriko, do something!" Kagome shouted. "Attack him."

"I can't," Noriko whimpered. "I can't attack him. That would be breaking the deal made with the Inu no Taishō."

A black pearl drifted from Inuyasha's eye and into Sesshōmaru's waiting hand. He threw Inuyasha down and Kagome went to his side.

"No wonder searching for it below ground was useless," Sesshōmaru chuckled. "Seeing, yet never seen. Protected, yet never known to its protector. Our father's tomb, hidden in a black pearl deep within your eye."

"And all for that?" Inuyasha shouted, his voice pained. He rose. "You pretended she was my mother!"

"You're not amused?" Sesshōmaru asked, one slim brow rising.

"No I'm not!" Inuyasha roared. "You bastard!" He lunged at Sesshōmaru, who rose up into the air.

"He can fly like you," Kagome gasped and Noriko nodded.

"Die," Sesshōmaru said simply, his poison whip unfolding and cracking at Inuyasha. Noriko stepped in front of him and raised her arm. The poison whip snapped against her vambrace but did no damage.

"Move back!" Noriko shouted at Inuyasha. She turned to feel the sting of the whip across her cheekbone. She spun and hit the ground, looking up in horror as the whip dove for Inuyasha. She moved, not fast enough, and…

A flash of pink, a wail, and silence.

"The Un-Mother," Myōga whispered. Noriko stared at the head, the only thing that remained of the yōkai besides a few floating scraps of kimono.

"She protected him," Kagome blinked.

"Yōkai spirit or not, she still had a mother's heart," Myōga reasoned. "And isn't protecting her son what a mother can't help but do."

"Thank you," Noriko whispered to the head.

"My boy," the Un-Mother whimpered. Another flash of green light and she was gone.

"Hey you!" Kagome shouted, running forwards. Sesshōmaru raised his head to look at her and Noriko shoved Kagome behind her again, meeting Sesshōmaru's gaze coolly.

"Kagome, don't, or he'll kill us both," Myōga pleaded.

"Jaken?" Sesshōmaru called, looking away from them disinterestedly. "Jaken!"

"Lord Sesshōmaru the Staff of Skulls is our once more!" the kappa said delightedly, holding the staff up to him.

"I should have broken the wretched thing," Noriko muttered.

"At last the time has come," Sesshōmaru said, dropping the pearl. He took the staff and slammed it down on the pearl. Light burst from it and the old man's head rose, opening its mouth and laughing.

"The old man laughs!" Jaken said unnecessarily. "It means the tomb will open!"

A portal formed behind Sesshōmaru, a black hole edged in swirling white mist, and he and Jaken disappeared into it.

"They're gone!" Kagome gaped.

"Lord Inuyasha, we must move quickly before the portal closes," Myōga said. "Do you want your brother to take sole possession of your father's treasure?"

"Let him," Inuyasha scoffed. Noriko's eyes flashed to him in worry. No, Inuyasha had to take the sword, it _had_ to be him…

"But sire," Myōga pleaded.

"I didn't say I wasn't going after him," Inuyasha smirked. "Say your prayer Sesshōmaru, you're dead!" He turned to Kagome. "You stay here, it's too dangerous for you-"

"What do you want, an invitation?" Kagome yelled before disappearing into the portal.

"Hey!" Inuyasha called, moving for the portal. Noriko threw out a hand.

"What's the portal rule?" she demanded. Inuyasha blinked at her as she threw herself through the gateway.

"You're both ridiculous," Inuyasha said as he caught up to the two women. "You realize Sesshōmaru's there, right?"

"Well duh, that's why we've got to go!" Kagome snapped. "No one does that, I don't care who he is!"

"I will never understand humans," Noriko sighed.

They dropped out of the other side of the portal in midair. Noriko caught herself and Inuyasha and Kagome landed on the back of a skeletal bird after only the smallest of drops. The trio soared through the sky towards the bones ahead. They were massive, standing over a hundred yards tall, the bones of a dog wearing armor.

"Father," Inuyasha said grimly.

"Those bones are you dad?" Kagome asked, shocked.

"What else would they be?"

"Well, not that he wasn't alive once too, but… What do you mean 'what else?' They're huge, okay?"

"They're huge because he himself was of incomparable stature. Here he is in truest form, undisguised, the treasure sword imbedded in his bones," Myōga explained. "That is what Sesshōmaru is after."

They soared down into the Inu no Taishō's ribcage. The floor was covered with the skulls of his many kills. Against his spine was the golden plinth where the Tessaiga stood in its battered, closed form. Noriko remembered it released an in the hand of the Inu no Taishō.

An image of her father wailing just before he was sealed away by yet another fang of the Inu no Taishō flashed across her eyes. Noriko jerked her head and shoved the image away.

_Father, I miss you._

"Sesshōmaru!" Inuyasha roared, lunging at Sesshōmaru as Noriko and Kagome made their way down the ribs. Noriko shuddered every step she took, remembering the man whose remains she was now wandering about inside.

Inuyasha hit the ground and rolled as Sesshōmaru dodged. He was on his feet in a second. "Now where'd he go?"

"Be more respectful!" Sesshōmaru thundered from where he stood on the rib across from them. "This is our father's tomb."

"You're the one here robbing his grave!" Inuyasha yelled. "Why not respect him by leaving?"

Noriko inhaled sharply. Kagome heard and looked at her.

"What is it?" the girl asked softly.

"He doesn't know it, but he just struck a very low blow," Noriko whispered.

She could not imagine how Sesshōmaru must be feeling right now. To be standing _inside_ his father, the man he had idolized as the epitome of what a demon should be, what _he_ should be. To see his brother, the brother he had never wanted, the brother whose birth had lost him his beloved father, thrashing around and destroying it, must be filling him with rage. To have that very same brother turn around and rebuke him for stealing was the final straw. Before, Sesshōmaru may have been content to let Inuyasha tire himself out and then leave. Now, murder sparked in his amber eyes.

"Lord Inuyasha, look back, look back!" Myōga yelled fm his shoulder.

"Look back where?" Inuyasha asked. "Why?" He turned and saw the sword protruding from the plinth.

"Do you see it?" Myōga said reverently. "The sword forged from your father's own fang, Tessaiga."

"Huh? You mean this? What a piece of junk!" Inuyasha demanded, circling it. "Tessaiga… what? This thing wouldn't even cut paper… wet!"

"Show some respect!" Noriko snapped from the rib she was floating next to. She couldn't bear to sit or stand on one anymore. It made her feel ill. She didn't know how Sesshōmaru stayed so calm. It was all she could do not to picture her own father in this poor state. His parting scream echoed in her ears.

"Lord Inuyasha, you must pull it out, please," Myōga pleaded. He turned to Sesshōmaru and said disparagingly, "And you, Lord Sesshōmaru. You couldn't pull it out, could you?"

"Do you mean to say Inuyasha can?" Sesshōmaru said skeptically.

"Of course, it was always intended that Lord Inuyasha should inherit it. He was entrusted with the tomb, wasn't he? That's proof enough if you ask me! Now hurry, hurry, and claim what's yours!"

Inuyasha stared at the sword for a moment. "What inheritance, what entrusted? For all I care he can keep the rusty piece of junk! What I do mind is all the other stuff! It's a good thing you're in a grave Sesshōmaru, because you're going to die!"

Inuyasha lunged at him. Sesshōmaru jumped out of the way and flew towards the ground. "Now, was that aimed at me?" he asked mockingly. He turned and flew backwards, dodging Inuyasha's wild swings easily. Sesshōmaru braced his feet on a rib and kicked off, away from the last blow. Inuyasha's fist slammed into the bone.

"Damn," he cursed.

"You fight as though you're still a child," Sesshōmaru rebuked.

"You can't fight unarmed!" Myōga cried. "The sword, get the sword!"

"Shut up!"

"Inuyasha, get the dumb sword!" Kagome screamed. "Sesshōmaru couldn't pull it out right? If you can't hit him in the body, hit him in the pride! Hurt his ego!"

"Erm, no, bad advice," Noriko hissed in her ear, covering Kagome's mouth. "Lord Sesshōmaru is not a yōkai to be trifled with, and insulting him is the surest way to an early grave."

"I get it," Inuyasha laughed. He turned and sneered at Sesshōmaru, walking to the plinth. "I'll do it, if only to see the look on your face." His hand closed around the hilt. "This is going to be more fun than I thought." He tugged, grunting and straining with effort. The plinth around the sword glowed and the blade wobbled, but nothing happened.

"What?" Kagome blinked.

"Huh?" Inuyasha gaped.

"Myōga," Noriko said calmly. She floated over and gripped the hilt, tugging it experimentally. She recoiled, clutching her pinkish, burned hand. "If you screwed this up… Inuyasha, you _are_ supposed to have it. It _is_ meant to be yours."

"Then why can't I draw it out?" Inuyasha demanded.

"I don't know. Why might that be, Myōga. You put it here," Noriko said, turning on the flea.

"Erm… I don't know?"

"Are you done?" Sesshōmaru asked. _"I am."_

He lunged at Inuyasha and Noriko jumped in front of Inuyasha, Sesshōmaru's claws scraping across her breastplate and gouging long marks.

Inuyasha moved off, running for the other side of the cavernous room, but Sesshōmaru sped after him, seizing his shoulder and slamming him into the wall.

"I don't think you've met my dokkasō," Sesshōmaru said, drawing back his hand, his claws glowing green. He shoved forwards and once again Noriko was there, shoving Inuyasha away and raising a forearm, catching Sesshōmaru's hand and lifting it.

"You cannot attack me," he reminded her.

"But I can defend against you," she said, vanishing and reappearing in front of Inuyasha.

"Get out of here Noriko! This isn't your fight!" Inuyasha snapped.

"Wrong. This is your fight, so it's my fight as well."

"Hiding?" Sesshōmaru taunted, rising into the air in front of them. His whip cracked and Noriko raised her vambrace again to catch it, only this time she wound it around her wrist, gripping the end. She grit her teeth against the energy pumping through her hand.

"None of that please."

The whip vanished and Noriko doubled over, Sesshōmaru's fist in her stomach. Her armor was undamaged, but she still felt the force of the blow. His other hand cracked against her cheek and she flew back, hitting Inuyasha and dragging him down with her. She was on her feet in a second, but Inuyasha leapt over her shoulder at Sesshōmaru.

"No!" she growled. Sesshōmaru's claws dug into his stomach, holding him aloft. Sesshōmaru's claws glowed.

"The time has come. Die," he bade, lifting Inuyasha and throwing him to the ground beneath him, claws lifted for a strike.

"Inuyasha!"

_Shick_

"Oops?"

"Hn… What?" Sesshōmaru whispered, turning. The occupants gaped at Kagome, standing there and looking nervously at the sword she was gripping.

"It just… came out," Kagome said almost apologetically. "Sorry?"


	7. Their Fight - Sesshomaru v Inuyasha

Their Fight – Sesshōmaru v Inuyasha

"That's impossible!" Jaken shrieked. "If the two of them couldn't pull it, how could a mere human?"

"Don't look at her!" Inuyasha snapped, lunging at Sesshōmaru. "Look at me!"

Sesshōmaru ignored the strike and flew towards Kagome, appearing in front of her. Kagome yelped.

"What are you and how did you draw the sword?" he asked, looking between Kagome and the Tessaiga.

"Good thing he's after her and not us now, eh Lord Inuyasha?" Myōga sighed happily.

"Shut up!" Inuyasha snapped. "Sesshōmaru, she's not involved in this!"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed. She took a step back from Sesshōmaru and held the sword up. "One step closer and I'll cut you!"

"Kagome," Noriko said, stepping forwards and pushing the girl behind her once again. "Lord Sesshōmaru, I ask that you be reasonable about this. The sword is meant for Lord Inuyasha, and I-"

"Silence."

Noriko's mouth twisted. She inclined her head respectfully. "Of course, my lord."

"Dang it Noriko, forget whatever deal you made with my old man! Just hit him! Get Kagome out of there!" Inuyasha shouted. Noriko's face was pained.

"If you knew what your father did for me you wouldn't ask that," she whispered.

Sesshōmaru looked at Noriko. It had been two hundred years since he'd seen her, since that snowy night on the beach when his father gave her last instructions and then spoke to him. He remembered the first time he'd ever seen her, when she'd burst from behind a rock and attacked him viciously, then gone after his father, where she'd been swiftly defeated.

The deal had been struck quickly. Her life for service to the Inu no Taishō. Over time she had become one of his most trusted servants, quite a surprise to everyone considering both how young she was at the time - barely older than Inuyasha was now – and the fact that her father had caused such problems for the Inu no Taishō.

She was even assigned to help teach him swordsmanship when the other teachers got fed up with him. Even he could not deny that her father had been a great swordsman, and he had schooled her well, despite the fact that she was a girl. She knew a great many things that he didn't, but she always treated him with the utmost respect. She knew her place and never strayed from it, never talked down to him, which was why he had preferred her to some of the other men who had taught him the skills of swordplay.

Now, though… Her years guarding Inuyasha seemed to have softened her. She was no longer a fighter, but a weak, emotional creature. He could not reconcile her with the girl who had dared attack him and his father. She, who had once been a proud yōkai from a powerful clan from the continent, was now crouching in front of a weakling human girl, shielding her from him.

Sesshōmaru turned, shaking himself form the past. "For some unknown reason, I was unable to draw Tessaiga. Fortunately, you weren't able to either. Isn't it obvious that she must die?"

"You're right, it is weird that she could pull it out, but she's just a human girl!" Inuyasha shouted. "Kagome, just give him the sword!"

"No way!" Kagome shouted. "Why does he automatically get to keep it? If he can't pull it out it means he's not supposed to have it! He'll have to come and take it."

"Don't be stupid! You're only a human, so back off, shut up, and butt out!"

"Butt out- what do you know?"

"Inuyasha, do shut up," Noriko said, reaching back and covering Kagome's mouth. "You don't know what's at stake here. Kagome, while I applaud your courage, you really should keep quiet."

"Inuyasha, your patience with the human creature is astonishing to me. You protect her, indulge her, even seem to love her," Sesshōmaru said. He turned and walked towards Inuyasha, trailing his claws through his long, silver hair. "Certainly there feelings of mercy of yours are not something I inherited from our great and terrible father.

"It must have been that mother of yours, that _human_ mother, that caused our father to meet his end in the ignoble place. Her blood affects you as well. Is it that which so endears you to them? When it comes to humans, I, of course, bear no such weakness." He turned, raising his hand, and Noriko's eyes widened as she saw the glow of green.

"Kagome!"

"No!" she shouted, turning and hurling Kagome to the side, falling on top of her. She could feel the poison eat into her cape, the back of her armor, and then drip onto her back. It was agony. A whimper burst from her lips.

"No!" Inuyasha screamed. "Noriko!"

"I'm fine," she gasped, trying desperately to fight off the poison. Her youki flashed and flickered, throwing the majority of it off of her body, strengthening the back of the breastplate. She sat up and poison rolled off of her back, the tattered remains of her cape falling away as well.

"Noriko, your interference saved her," Sesshōmaru mused. "Otherwise, she would be dead. Humans are so fragile." He turned to Inuyasha. "And not just humans, hanyō too."

"Sankon Tessō!" Inuyasha shouted, going for Sesshōmaru. His brother leapt, catching Inuyasha in his mokomoko and pulling him up to his level.

"How can you think, with your dirty blood, that you are my equal?" Sesshōmaru demanded, throwing him along the ground to slam into a rib.

"You," Inuyasha grunted, struggling to his knees. The whip flashed out and Noriko moved again, standing in front of Inuyasha and deflecting it off her vambraces. Her arms flashed to keep up with the multitude of hits, the energy driving down her arms.

"You forget your station."

"Think carefully Sesshōmaru," Noriko reminded him, for once dropping his title. "Your station is no higher than mine. I am a Lady."

"A poor excuse for one," he said, swooping towards her. Noriko realized she had crossed the line finally. She had interfered too much and he was now going to get her out of his way. She had a choice. She could fight, protect Inuyasha, and still defy the Inu no Taisho, or she could die. Some part of her, the part still loyal to her father, hissed to her to let the brothers kill each other. With their deaths she would be free. The part of her loyal to Inuyasha was shouting at her (in a very Inuyasha-esque manner) to get off her ass and protect him. The part still loyal to the Inu no Taisho was torn.

Finally, Noriko lowered her head. As Sesshōmaru came towards her, she raised her foot, kicking out. His hand caught her ankle and red eyes met surprised gold. He hadn't thought she would defy him for the sake of Inuyasha.

"Apologies, my lord," she said coldly. His grip on her ankle was firm, and she used it as a brace, kicking her other foot up and catching him in the chest. She was careful though, to do no real damage. Sesshōmaru slid back slightly, dragging her with him by the grip on her ankle. He turned, hurling her by her foot. Noriko took control the instant she could, turning her momentum into flight, repelling off of a rib and coming back towards him.

Inuyasha lunged at Sesshōmaru, making him dodge, and Noriko paused in midair. Skinny arms wrapped around her middle.

"I'm not letting go. You don't want to hurt me, do you?" Kagome asked her. "I think this is something you need to let them work out, no matter what your orders."

Noriko was shaking. "You may be right."

"Worthless hanyō," Sesshōmaru snapped at Inuyasha, backing him against a rib once more and snapping at him with his whip.

"Hanyō, huh?" Inuyasha snorted from the ground. "That's right, I remember. My mother, she was crying. She knew what it meant, what my life would be like. Hanyō or yōkai, to me it don't matter. But when you insult my mother, that's when I get angry. For her sake then if nothing else, _I'm going to make you pay!" _he shouted, running at Sesshōmaru. His nails glanced off Sesshōmaru's breastplate. "That's for mother!" Sesshōmaru jumped up into the air. "This is for Noriko!" His claws struck again. "This is for Kagome!" Sesshōmaru flew back, claws scraping off his breastplate one last time.

"This can't be happening!" Jaken screeched. "A moment ago he couldn't hit at all!"

Both brothers hit the ground. The top of Sesshōmaru's breastplate cracked away with his pauldron. Kagome was watching in awe, her grip loosened, but Noriko didn't make a move to escape. Perhaps Kagome was right. Maybe it was always intended for the two inu brothers to have this fight.

"All this for a memory and a threat to a human?" Sesshōmaru said, looking down at his damaged armor. "If I knew that's what it took to make you fight, I would have attacked her sooner."

"I'm gonna slit your stomach, take out your guts, and put 'em in a bowl. By the time I'm through with you, you're going to wish you were the one dead!"

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried, rushing forwards with the Tessaiga. She pressed it into Inuyasha's hands. "Here. Don't underestimate it. Make me proud."

"Why not put the sword to the test and try it on Sesshōmaru?" Myōga suggested.

"Big words… for such small vermin," Sesshōmaru observed. His eyes widened and his hair and mokomoko began to wave as wind swirled around him. His eyes contracted.

"Oh dear," Noriko whispered. "This could be potentially problematic."

The skulls at their feet began to shake and were picked up in the wind around Sesshōmaru. The yōkai threw a few at Inuyasha, who simply let them shatter against his body.

"Let's see if a hanyō can even wield the Tessaiga. I myself shall be the witness."

Sesshōmaru's eyes changed, white going bloody red, amber to blue. His features elongated, shifting into the white muzzle of a dog. He shot upwards in a ball of pink light, bouncing around the inside of the ribcage before striking the ground again in his true form, that of a monstrous white dog.

"He changed," Kagome whimpered.

"Good," Inuyasha shrugged. "'Cuz now we know his real form."

Sesshōmaru barked furiously, but Inuyasha was unfazed.

"Now that I'm using this, I'll win for sure," he said, glancing at Tessaiga. "Yep, I'd say this battle's just about over before it even started. You go hide till it's over."

"Okay sure, but where?" Kagome whimpered. Noriko bent her knees.

"Climb on."

Kagome hopped onto her back and Noriko shot upwards, through the chest cavity of the Inu no Taisho, and landed outside on his shoulder plate.

"What do you think's going on in there?" Kagome asked nervously, wincing at every single growl or bark she heard.

"Hopefully, Inuyasha's not dying," Noriko said tensely. "I'd kill myself if that happened."

"But you don't want him to kill Sesshōmaru either," Kagome recalled in confusion. "Why? He's the bad guy, right?"

"He is his father's son, and the Inu no Taisho saved me from my own father."

"Saved you?" Kagome repeated.

"My father was a cruel, greedy man. He wanted a son, an heir, and that was made clear, although in fear he would never have one he took precautions by teaching me everything I would need to know to take his place. It was he who taught me swordsmanship, gave me my first sword," she said, fingering the cloth-wrapped hilt of her sword, stroking the ring pommel which held a blood-red ruby. "However, outside our lessons he was cold and distant and made me clearly aware of the fact that he would have preferred a son. I loved my father, but I had no desire to be around him when he was not teaching me. Then, he was my father. Any other time, a monster." Noriko smiled slightly, recalling.

"It horrified my mother to see me wishing for father to come and take me out to the training grounds as she tried to teach me all the delicacies of being a lady. Which fork to use, how to dance, how to sing, how to be the perfect wife. I learned her lessons well, but I always preferred the training grounds, and that was why my father allowed me to join him when he charged out to attack Japan.

"When the Inu no Taisho sealed my father I was given a choice. Death or service. I was grateful to him for freeing from my father's expectations, from his verbal abuse, and from the horror that would befall me had he died with no son and I been left the only heir. I chose service willingly and swore on that day to obey the Inu no Taisho's every command. He commanded me to protect his sons, so I do. He commanded me, only hours before he died, to defend Inuyasha and Izayoi with my very life. I have done so, however the order still remains for me to protect Sesshōmaru."

"I'm sorry about your dad," Kagome muttered, staring at Noriko with wide eyes. She was struck then by a shift in ideals through the times. Carrying on the family name with a son was more important than the actual child itself in this time, and Noriko had suffered for that.

"It's been three centuries Kagome," Noriko said drily. "I'm fine. Besides, the only thing that could possibly unseal him is the Tessaiga, and I really doubt Inuyasha would free my father."

"Well, if he did, would you make peace with him?"

Noriko paused. "I honesty have no idea. I might if he-"

Sesshōmaru burst through the shoulder blade thrashing his head, Inuyasha dangling under his chin by a clump of fur.

"Oh, he's angered him," Noriko gasped. Sesshōmaru's youki was flying everywhere in livid and slightly pained waves. It was oppressive and she pushed back with her own, keeping it soothing.

"Now do you see the power of Tessaiga?" Myōga chirped, popping up out of nowhere. "You're giving Sesshōmaru what-for I hope!"

"Where have you been?" Inuyasha demanded. "This thing's about as useful as a walking stick!"

"Oh. So maybe it isn't from your father." Myōga cleared his throat and zipped off.

"Hey, he left!" Kagome cried indignantly.

"In the meantime, what am I going to do with this thing?" Inuyasha demanded.

He spent the next few seconds dodging as Sesshōmaru jumped at him, trying to catch him or squish him with his massive paws.

"That's it Inuyasha, sock it to him!" Kagome praised. "I think the first one hit!"

"Are you out of your mind?" Inuyasha demanded. "It missed!"

"But the sword's yours now," Kagome reminded him sweetly. "All you gotta do is believe in it, like I believe in you!"

"Aw, you're crazy! This sword is worthless! Me, I'll live, I'm hanyō. You though, you ain't got a chance."

"So I should just… give up hope?" Kagome said, recoiling as tears pooled in her eyes.

"Hey, are you crying?" Inuyasha said, looking completely uncomfortable. "No crying!" he shouted.

"Oh, should I laugh?" Kagome retorted.

"No, you should shut up and let me protect you!" Inuyasha huffed. "You stay here. Noriko, keep her safe."

"Of course, my lord," Noriko said, lips quirking in amusement. Like every other male, Inuyasha was completely helpless when faced with a woman's tears.

"And don't call me that!"

"I didn't imagine that, did I?" Kagome asked as Inuyasha stalked back over to Sesshōmaru. "Did he just say he'd protect me?"

"I believe he did," Noriko nodded.

"That's right Lord Sesshōmaru!" Jaken cheered. "Bite his little head off! Nip him in the- oof!"

"You were saying?" Noriko asked, looking down at Jaken who was pinned beneath one delicate slipper. The sound of muffled cursing reached her ears and she pressed down harder.

Sesshōmaru leapt up into the air and came down toward Inuyasha, who jumped up to meet him. The sword in his hands grew into a shape Noriko knew well. Tessaiga was now the blade she'd once tried to fight against.

The blade bit deeply into Sesshōmaru's front left leg, tearing upwards with Inuyasha's momentum. Noriko watched, eyes wide and horrified, as Sesshōmaru's leg fell away and returned to its human form, an arm with two magenta slashes across the wrist and long, clawed fingers. Blood gushed from the stump, puddling under Sesshōmaru's feet. He whimpered and whined as Noriko brought her hands up to cover her mouth.

"The old man really did leave something worthwhile after all," Inuyasha smirked as he stared at Sesshōmaru. "Two brothers in a death match over father's sword. But we're nothing! Don't you see? We're just two bugs jumping around on his body. Feh, he could sneeze and destroy us." Inuyasha pulled Tessaiga back possessively. "So maybe I don't have any memories of him, but it was me father chose to hide his tomb in after all. So I'd rather give up an eye than give up his sword. I'm not so useless after all, huh?" he roared. Sesshōmaru broke, lunging at Inuyasha, who met him head on, sweeping Tessaiga across his chest. The force of the blow knocked Sesshōmaru back and off his father's body. He fell, transforming into a ball of light as he went and flying off.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome cried as she and Noriko went to his side. "Inuyasha, are you okay?"

Inuyasha chuckled. "I take it back. So the sword's not such a piece of junk after all."

"It is not," Noriko grimly, staring after Sesshōmaru.

"Oh, get going," Inuyasha huffed. "Go check on the bastard. I know you want to."

"It is my duty to protect him," Noriko said stiffly. "You've badly wounded him and as such-"

"Yeah, yeah, don't even try it," Inuyasha huffed. "You actually care what happens to the bastard, I can tell. Why? Don't know, don't care. Just hurry back."

"Thank you for being understanding," Noriko smiled as she took off. "I will return soon."


	8. Enter Shippo

Enter Shippō 

Noriko arrived to find Sesshōmaru sitting at the base of a tree, his arm soaked in blood, unconscious.

"Still after power," she sighed, shaking her head and approaching. She snatched leaves from the ground as she went, holding them for a moment before they dissolved into a number of items it her feet. A pile of wood, a flint and steel, a blanket, medical supplies. Noriko started the fire with little effort and turned to Sesshōmaru, who was still unconscious.

She moved towards him and carefully peeled his shirt off, some of the blood crusted and hard to pull away.

"What are you doing?"

"You're injured, my lord," Noriko said softly as she shoved the shoulder of his shirt off. "I don't know if you noticed, but you're missing a limb. I'm doing my best to keep you from bleeding out."

"I don't need the help of a traitor."

"I had two sets of orders that suddenly happened to conflict. I chose to follow the most recent set of orders," Noriko explained. "You are not harmed. At least, not by my hand."

"You were told to protect me as well. You failed to do so. That makes you a traitor," Sesshōmaru said. He refused to look at her as she cleaned away the blood.

"I had no idea what he was about to do. In all honesty I didn't think him capable of something so bloody," Noriko admitted. "My careless mistake has led to the loss of your limb, my lord. For that you have my deepest apologies, and you also have the right to take my life." She pulled back for a moment and dropped to her hand and knees in front of him. Noriko pressed her forehead to the rgound and turned her head slightly, baring her throat in a submissive gesture she had learned when living surrounded by inu. The position held no meaning for her, but a lot to Sesshōmaru.

"Your life has no meaning to me. Whether you retain it or not is no concern of mine."

"You are most gracious, my lord," Noriko said, returning to her work. "Would you like something to bite? Or for me to render you unconscious? This will be painful."

Sesshōmaru gave her a dark look, clearly not pleased with her suggestion that he couldn't handle the pain.

"Apologies again, my lord," she said. "I meant no offense."

She reached out with the needle and thread and grabbed the remaining bits of skin of his mangled arm, pulling them together and sewing them that way. It was a rough, patchwork job, but the best she was capable of. She wrapped the stump gently in bandages and pulled away. Sesshōmaru glanced at his arm, then his eyes flicked up.

"Humans," he said simply. Noriko nodded, she'd smelled them coming. She looked up to see a group of humans clustered around them, aiming down the barrels of their guns at them.

"Shall I dispatch them for you, my lord?" she asked simply.

"I leave them to you."

Noriko turned and drew her blade. Her form blurred as she moved around the circle. Sesshōmaru's eyes were the only ones that saw the flawless technique and grace of her movements as the troop of mortals fell dead in a matter of seconds.

"I will remove the corpses from your sight, my lord," Noriko said.

She worked for the next few minutes, dragging the dead troops to a nearby river and leaving their corpses to wash downstream. She crushed their guns and swords into a mass of wood and scrap metal which she left there as well. She paused on a knife that was in the hand of what seemed to be the leader of the group. Engraved on the blade in tiny letters was the phrase _relationships are never about power, and one way to avoid the will to power is to choose to limit oneself- to serve. _Noriko smiled slightly and tucked the blade into its sheath, affixing it to her belt before tossing the man's body in the river and returning to Sesshōmaru, catching and killing a few squirrels on her way. She skinned them, stripped the bones, and cooked the meat on the fire under Sesshōmaru's watchful eye.

"I must return to Lord Inuyasha," she said, rising and cleaning her nails quickly. "If you will consent to dismiss me, my lord?"

"You are dismissed. You assistance has been… useful."

Which was as close to a thank you as she had ever seen Sesshōmaru come, Noriko thought as she flew back to Inuyasha and Kagome.

* * *

Noriko was skeptical of Kagome's futuristic food, especially the kind that only required water and heating. What was it? Ramen.

She took one cautious bite and gagged. Noriko forced herself to swallow and set the bowl aside. Immediately, Inuyasha seized it and started tucking in.

"It's… not bad," he gasped around mouthfuls. "I can see how... this could… catch on." He looked over at Kagome. "Aren't you going to dig in?"

Kagome groaned. "Speaking of digging, haven't you noticed we're surrounded by corpses?" She shot up. "No, I guess you were too busy rummaging through my backpack to realize that we're sitting in the middle of an old battleground! 'I'm hungry,' he says. Then he has the nerve to expect me to eat here!" Kagome flopped back to the ground. "Geez, even your blood-sucking flea buddy has better manners!"

"Finally, someone with good taste who tastes good!" Myōga praised. "I must say, I'm impressed by the conveniences of your era. That bi-cycle of yours, and your instant foodstuffs. Tell me, has our land started trading with others?"

"Yeah!" Kagome grinned. "Figures _you'd_ notice Myōga. Actually, instant noodles were invented right here in Japan during the space age! Everyone eats them but originally they were meant for astronauts in outer space!"

Inuyasha dragged his face out of his bowl long enough to ask, "Astro-nots?"

"No, astronauts," Kagome corrected. "Hey, that's right! I guess you don't even know that man has walked on the moon!"

"Man has been to the moon?" Noriko gaped. "And you're sure this wasn't accomplished by a yōkai with powers of flight?"

"On a bi-cycle?" Inuyasha questioned.

"No, on a rocket of course," Kagome said.

"And that would be?" Inuyasha said blankly.

"Well, they're long and they're usually white, and flames shoot out the bottom. Countdown to launch… Zoom!" Kagome huffed when she saw Inuyasha was back in his bowl. "Trust you to be more impressed by noodles than space travel."

"Well, this travelling to space seems highly impractical, unless humans have colonized the moon. These quick, compact foods of yours are immensely handy."

"No, humans haven't colonized the moon," Kagome giggled.

It suddenly went dark around their campsite, casting the whole thing into shadow.

"It's dark!" Kagome shouted, jumping up. "Why is it dark?"

"I don't know, but I get the feeling it's not good," Inuyasha said, jumping up with a hand on Tessaiga.

"Lord Inuyasha," Myōga began.

"This is no time for trash talk Myōga," Inuyasha snapped.

"We need to work on your nose," Noriko sighed, utterly unconcerned as she munched on some of Kagome's packaged crackers.

"You down there!" called a high voice from a swirling vortex of light above them. "You possess a shard of the Shikon no Tama!"

"What is that?" Inuyasha demanded.

"A yōkai?" Kagome asked.

"I believe it's a fox," Myōga said.

"Not likely," Inuyasha snorted.

"He's correct," Noriko said, putting aside her food and getting up.

The vortex pulled together into a ball of light from which burst a floating pink sphere with tiny arms and legs and small features.

"Give me the shard!" the ball demanded, floating forwards and closing its mouth around Inuyasha's head. "The shard, or your life!"

Inuyasha paused, scratching his head for a moment, then drew back his hand and smacked the blob across the face. It flew back, whining in pain, and dissolved into the vortex of light before a little blue and russet bundle hit the ground. Noriko, Inuyasha, and Kagome walked over.

"It's a kid," Kagome blinked.

"Who dares pop my bubble?" the tiny kitsune demanded. He saw Noriko and Inuyasha and screamed, scrambling to get away. Noriko's hand darted out and she picked him up by his tail.

"I'm not fond of the tricks of your kind," Noriko said pointedly.

"Feisty little thing, aren't you?" Inuyasha snickered, leaning forwards to look at it. "Nice tail. Looks like a badger or a squirrel."

"I'm a kitsune!" the yōkai snapped, offended.

"A fox? That talks?" Kagome grinned. "Cool. Let me touch it when you're done!"

"I'm trying to teach it a lesson!" Inuyasha said pointedly as he took it from Noriko and slammed it on the ground. There was a puff of smoke and the kitsune resolved into a stone statue. Noriko groaned.

"Of all the creatures on this earth there is none more irritating than the kitsune," she sighed.

"Hey, get out of there!" Kagome said as she turned and saw the missing kitsune rooting through her bag. He held up the bottle with the shards triumphantly.

"Aha, the shards!" He shot up into the air. "Our time together has been short, but sweet!" he called. "Farewell!" That said, he vanished in a burst of light.

"He's gone!" Kagome called. Noriko flashed backwards and her foot came down hard on a roving ball of fluff attached to one of the skulls from the battle ground. She picked up the thrashing, whimpering tail and yanked the skull off.

"Never go for the obvious answer with kitsune," she instructed Kagome. "They're notorious tricksters." Inuyasha came forwards swinging. A large bump rose on the kitsune's head.

"Always pick on the little guy," he whined.

"Unnecessary Inuyasha," Noriko said pointedly. "He's young. Barely seven, speaking in human years."

"Here," Kagome said, taking the kitsune from Noriko and sitting him down on the ground. She pulled her first aid kit over and pulled out a bottle of some spray. "Now, this may sting a bit. Just think happy thoughts!" She sprayed twice. "So, why were you so determined to get the jewel shards from us anyway?"

"For my father!" the kitsune said viciously under his breath. "I need them to avenge him!"

"What do you mean, avenge him?" Kagome pressed. "Do you mean to say… he was killed?"

"It happens more often here than in your time, I assume," Noriko sighed. "Vengeance missions are not uncommon."

"I get it," Inuyasha sneered. "He's not strong enough on his own, so he needs to power of the shards to defeat his enemies!"

"I'm strong enough to take on any enemy, I wanted the jewel as a precaution!" the kitsune snapped as Inuyasha and Kagome argued back and forth. He gritted his teeth and popped up. "Hey!" he roared. "I'm doing the talking here!"

Inuyasha and Kagome paused, looked at him, and settled down.

"It all started not too long ago," the kitsune began. "Hundreds of warriors were engaged in a battle near the forest where we lived, but a dark cloud passed overhead. A cloud so dark and evil, none could image the horrors it would bring. The warriors were at first puzzled by the turn in the weather. Two yōkai appeared and destroyed them all. They murdered my father to get his shard of the Shikon jewel."

"Wait, but why did he have a shard?" Kagome asked some time later. They'd packed up camp and were moving on, the kitsune, who'd introduced himself as Shippō, riding Kagome's bike with her.

"I couldn't say," he shrugged. "All I know is that the Thunder Brothers steal the jewels from yōkai."

"Thunder Brothers?" Kagome repeated, pausing in her pedaling.

"It's a nickname, because of their thunder and lightning attacks," Shippō explained.

"Heard of them, you two?" Inuyasha asked.

"I think he means Hiten and Manten," Noriko mused. "Myōga?"

"It sounds that way. If the rumors are true, those two are evil incarnate," Myōga said grimly.

"Hah! All I got to do is defeat these two and then I can have all their jewel shards," Inuyasha snorted.

"And one day man will walk on the moon," Shippō said dismissively. "You're no match for the evil Thunder Brothers. You're only a hanyō. I can smell the human in you. This is a matter between yōkai. Stay out of it."

"You may have noticed, but I'm yōkai," Noriko said pointedly. She let her youki leak out. "If I protect this hanyō, what does that tell you about him?"

"Wait… you're his guard?" Shippō blinked, shocked.

"Yeah, runt," Inuyasha agreed, jumping down and hammering on Shippō's head.

"Go easy on him!" Kagome said worriedly.

"Someone's got to teach him a lesson."

"So sorry, very sorry, my apologies," Shippō muttered, bowing to Inuyasha. "As a token of my apologies," he said, and hopped up, dropping a stone statue on Inuyasha's hands. He slapped a seal on it. "Hah! You're stuck until you can peel off the spell seal!"

"You mean like this?" Noriko said. Her nails glowed green and extended out, scraping across the seal and shredding it. The paper blackened and disintegrated, falling away. Inuyasha stood up, eyes twitching angrily, and Shippō cowered. Inuyasha lunged and Shippō ran, streaking away.

"Hey!" Kagome protested. "We've got to go after him!"

"No we don't," Inuyasha shrugged.

"He's an orphan!" Kagome said sharply, grabbing her bow and running after Shippō.

"Come on Inuyasha," Noriko said. She smelled a powerful yōkai up ahead. "Do you smell him too?"

"Yeah. Let's go pull Kagome out of the fire. Again," Inuyasha snorted, and the pair took off after then, Noriko sweeping Kagome onto her shoulders as they passed her.

They arrived at a pond lined with reeds to find Shippō pinned to the ground by his tail, the yōkai standing over him with a fox pelt draped around his waist. Noriko stiffened. That was a high dishonor this yōkai was doing Shippō's father, taking the skin of his true form as his own.

"Hold it right there, you!" Kagome yelled, firing an arrow. It pierced the yōkai's nose, but he seemed only mildly concerned by this.

"Who are you?" he demanded. He was ugly, without a doubt. His head was misshapen and he was mostly bald with a short braid hanging down his back.

"Don't move an inch!" Kagome said sharply. Inuyasha made to attack but Noriko threw out an arm.

"Let's see how Kagome handles herself," she whispered.

"Feh. Whatever."

"Shippō, get over here!" Kagome yelled.

"You have a Shikon jewel shard!" the yōkai said, staring at the bottle that was tucked into her shirt. "I must have it!" he charged and Kagome fired. Her arrow glanced off his head and Noriko realized she had an actual target, likely the shards.

However, while the arrow had only grazed, it had a profound effect on the yōkai. He began to shake and quiver, running his hands over his head nervously. Two hairs floated free and he threw back his head, wailing. His mouth opened wide, a fiery glow coming from it.

"That's the same attack that killed my dad!" Shippō shouted. "We've gotta go!"

"No we don't," Inuyasha huffed. He lunged forwards, drawing Tessaiga, but again Noriko threw out an arm and stopped him.

"What's the big ide- huh?"

Noriko's clothes had shifted, from her normal clothes and armor to a considerably different outfit with a slit blue skirt and white leggings. Her sword belt was replaced with a white sash with a gold clasp. Her collar was still in place, only attached to a more feminine breastplate that dipped under her breasts.

"Manten," she greeted calmly. "I'll ask you don't destroy my pet. She simply presumed you were a threat and acted accordingly. She's rather protective of the kit."

"Lady Noriko?" the yōkai said blankly. "What… are you doing here?"

"You know him?" Inuyasha hissed. Noriko nodded.

"Manten," she said again, coming forwards with a smile. "I have been traveling and I thought I felt you nearby. I sent the kit out to look and I'm afraid the human decided she should get involved." Kagome trembled as Noriko's eyes went cold, a small smirk appearing on her face. "She'll pay dearly for that arrow later. It'll come out of her hide."

"I'm glad. But… you're traveling with an orphan kit, a hanyō, and a mortal?" Manten asked slyly. "Quite a comedown Lady Noriko."

Noriko shrugged carelessly. "The hanyō is not bad in battle. The kit, frankly, is more for entertainment than anything. The human has some small skill with a bow and she tried to kill me. I gave her a choice. Service or death. She gave her service."

Shippō, Kagome, and Inuyasha were staring at her in surprise as she wove a tale for Manten.

"Funny," Manten said slowly. "I heard the same deal had been made to you some years back and you chose service to a dog yōkai."

"I'm afraid you have it backwards, my _dear _Manten," she said, baring her fangs in a cold smile. "It was a dog _hanyō_ and _he_ chose service to _me._"

"Your human carries a shard of the jewel," Manten pointed out. "Now, why is that?"

Noriko chuckled. "A bluff. To lure in other yōkai holding shards. They think she's easy prey, I defeat them, and take their shards. Thus far it's only brought a few sniveling wisps of yōkai calling, but then, I haven't had it for long. But my human pet isn't important. I should love to catch up with you and Hiten, if you're both not busy."

"You're willing to come to our castle?" Manten asked, smiling wickedly. "And bring your pets?"

"I see no reason why not," Noriko said. "Unless, of course, I'm not welcome?"

"Oh no!" Manten said hastily. "You're very welcome." His eyes flicked to Kagome and her shard. "_Very_ welcome."

"Lovely," Noriko said breezily. "Will you consent to lead the way? My pets can follow on the ground."

"Of course," Manten beamed. "Follow me, Lady Noriko."

"Hanyō, you will lead the others after us," Noriko commanded Inuyasha. "Let nothing happen to them. If the woman is punished before I get my hands on her, you'll take double her lashings."

"Yes… my lady," Inuyasha grumbled.

"Good boy," Noriko smirked. "Such a clever puppy."

Manten summoned a cloud underneath him and flew off with Noriko, Inuyasha and the others following behind.

"I… had no idea Noriko could act," Kagome blinked as Inuyasha picked her and Shippō up and chased after the flying yōkai.

"Hmph," Inuyasha grunted. "She's going to pay for that 'good boy' crack later."

"But that was good," Shippō praised. "She's got Manten eating out of the palm of her hand!"

"He's after the jewel shard, that's why he was so intent on Kagome coming," Inuyasha shrugged. "He thinks they can get us inside and they'll be able to beat Noriko."

Kagome paused, a bad thought entering her head. "They can't beat her… can they?"

"No way in hell," Inuyasha snorted. "Trust me. You've never seen Noriko really fight. She can do a lot more than you've seen."

They arrived at the castle and Manten led Noriko and her 'pets' to a room where Hiten, a human-looking boy with handsome features and red eyes, was lounging with a snake yōkai.

"What's this, Manten?" Hiten asked. "Who'd you bring?"

"Hiten," Noriko purred, stepping from behind the other Thunder Brother. "How nice to see you again."

"Lady Noriko," Hiten grinned ,standing up and dumping the disgruntled yōkai unceremoniously on the floor. "What a pleasant surprise." He bowed and kissed her hand, looking up at her. Noriko stared back, opening her lips slightly and showing her tongue trailing across her teeth lasciviously. Hiten smirked and straightened.

"Still so _very charming_, Hiten," she praised, displaying her fangs. "I'd forgotten."

"Allow me to remind you, Lady Noriko," Hiten grinned. "If you'd like to come have a _private_ discussion with me."

Inuyasha growled and Hiten turned to look at him.

"What's that?" he demanded.

"My guard dog," Noriko said, turning to look at Inuyasha. She flashed him a warning look. "He's a bit stupid, forgive him. I've also recently welcomed a fox kit into my company for some entertainment. He says he knows you."

Hiten looked at Shippō and threw back his head, laughing. "Oh, he knows us. Manten's wearing his father." Manten patted the pelt, smiling.

"Oh, what a pretty coat," Noriko praised. "And then my mortal pet. Quite an archer, that one."

"An archer… with a Sacred Jewel shard," Hiten said, his eyes suddenly sharpening and landing on Kagome.

"Hm. The perfect bluff to lure in other yōkai with shard, don't you think?" Noriko explained.

"That's not a bad plan," Hiten said, nodding appreciatively. "We've recently accumulated some jewel shard ourselves."

"Yes, that's why I've come," Noriko said, her voice suddenly snapping from warm and sultry to cold and callous. "I'll be taking those, Hiten."

Hiten turned to her and saw she was back in her normal clothes. "Funny," he snorted. "What, you think you can even get _close_ to us with nothing more than a hanyō, a kit, and a mortal? We have five jewel shards!"

Noriko raised an eyebrow. "Who said I needed to get close?" Her hand raised, her nails shooting out, glowing green, and tore through Hiten's chest, his eyes widening in pain and surprise.

"It'll take… more than that," he panted, peeling himself off her nails.

"Brother Hiten!" Manten wailed.

"More than that for you, perhaps," Noriko agreed. "But Manten?"

Hitne's eyes widened in realization just before Noriko vanished in a puff of pink smoke that drifted to Manten's side. It resolved behind him into Noriko, sword raised. Her blade hummed as it sliced through skin and bone. Manten's head flew free. His body dissolved into smoke and his jewel shards clattered to the floor. One final wail of "Hiten!" echoed.

"Manten!" Hiten screamed, lunging at her with his Thunder Pike. The holes in his chest dripping blood slowed him somewhat.

"Your turn," Noriko said. She ducked under the strike and came up inside the pike, her sword drawn back. It slid forwards through Hiten's chest. She yanked and Hiten's body hit the ground in two pieces, his jewel shards clattering to the ground as well.

"I think we're done here," Noriko said calmly.

Kagome stared. The whole exchange had taken maybe a minute. She'd never understood why people always seemed surprised to find Noriko served Inuyasha and not the other way around. Now she did. Noriko was strong. Up until now, she'd measured strength compared to Inuyasha. She understood now that Inuyasha was strong, as strong as any average yōkai, but Noriko was on a whole different level, a level with the likes of Sesshōmaru. Though she'd never admit it, seeing Sesshōmaru had made her knees shake. Power seemed to roll off of him, power and confidence. Noriko wasn't nearly as open with her power. She'd never been. But Kagome now saw that Noriko was not a person to be trifled with. She expended just enough energy to defeat a threat and no more.

Kagome left the Thunder Brother's castle with many things on her mind. Shippō, the five new shards they had, and just how strong was Noriko?

* * *

**I know it may seem like Noriko's leaning towards the Mary Sue level but you have to think. I mean, pretty much every major character in Inuyasha is a little bit Mary Sueish. Inuyasha never get seriously hurt, no matter how many times something goes through his chest, he always gets a second wind and then kicks butt. Kagome can handle herself until it comes to Inuyasha and then she turns into a bit of a wimp.**

**Yeah, Noriko's a daiyōkai, so she does have some serious power. Think about Sesshōmaru. Poison claws, whip, telekinesis, flight, speed, strength. He can travel in a big ball of light or on a cloud. Thus far, Noriko flies, is a swordsman, and has poisonous nails that elongate, which is actually a clue at who her dad is. Actually, I wanted to make her dad someone that pops up in the series, and that's really the only reason she is a daiyōkai, because of who I wanted her dad to be. Otherwise she was just going to be a normal yōkai.**


	9. Kikyo Reborn - Fallout and Miroku

**Warning: Kikyō bashing!**

* * *

Kikyō Reborn – Fallout and Miroku

Noriko sat in very tense campsite. Since Kikyō's rebirth, neither Kagome nor Inuyasha had been the same, and she supposed it was up to her to snap them out of their gloomy moods. Then again, she wasn't exactly a bundle of sunshine these days either. She had quite cheerfully taken off the head of the yōkai Urasue, but the damage had been done.

Kikyō lived.

Noriko grit her teeth. She hated that girl, hated her more than she had ever hated anyone before. She knew of Inuyasha's involvement with the priestess. She had warned him it would be dangerous but he assured her it was alright. She believed him, and it was the excuse of going to see Kikyō he used when going after the jewel. He had seen Kikyō, she had seen him, and her sight had been true. Her arrow pierced his chest and he was gone from her for fifty years.

Then Kikyō – the useless lump of clay that though it had a right for vengeance, had a right to Kagome's soul – had dared to accuse Inuyasha of causing her death, had tried to purify him. Kaede, Shippo, and Inuyasha had strained to hold her back from tearing the girl's head free with her claws. Kikyō… Noriko prayed nightly for her death, her _permanent _death. The priestess had caused enough heartache, and she seemed out to cause more, be it intentional pain to Inuyasha or unintentional pain to Kagome.

Kagome… That's where she would start.

"Kagome… Walk with me?" Noriko asked. Kagome looked up and Noriko was disturbed by the deep sadness in her eyes.

"Okay," she nodded, and rose. The two girls started through the trees surrounding them.

"Kikyō is back," Noriko said, and Kagome flinched. "She took your soul. And you now know the truth of her and Inuyasha."

"I… I didn't want to believe it when I first started to suspect," Kagome whispered. She sat on a rock and Noriko perched beside her. "It just didn't seem possible. I mean… Kikyō bound him to the tree. But it is true, isn't it?"

Noriko nodded and wrapped an arm around Kagome somewhat hesitantly. Comforting was not a skill she was familiar with. Comfort had never been given to her as a child and Inuyasha held no interest in being comforted.

"It is true. Inuyasha loved Kikyō more than I have ever seen him love. Idiot," she huffed.

Kagome looked up at Noriko. "What was Kikyō like?" Kagome asked. "Am I… Am I anything like her?"

"No, thank the spirits."

Kagome pulled away and looked at Noriko in surprise. "Did you not like Kikyō? Back then?"

Noriko thought about it for a moment. "No. As a yōkai, I held a deep distrust and dislike for her in the beginning. That, and I was always deflecting her arrows and dragging Inuyasha away from her and the Shikon no Tama." She paused. "But then they began to spend time with each other, to grow closer. I watched from a distance. I knew he loved her, and she him, but I held no like for her. I found her to be whiny, to be weak."

"But everyone says Kikyō was a powerful priestess, a master archer!" Kagome reminded her. "I've never heard anyone say anything against her, in fact," she said, slumping sadly. Noriko's arm wrapped around her again and Kagome slumped into Noriko's side.

"I wasn't referring to her prowess as a priestess or archer. She was strong there. I mean in terms of character. She was forever whining about how guarding the Sacred Jewel kept her from being an ordinary woman. She had no hope of being normal – she was born a priestess – yet she proclaimed to be inside." Noriko snorted. "I listened to them speak one day. She spoke of how she couldn't show her weaknesses, yet she sat there and expounded on them to Inuyasha. She was manipulative to her own ends without even realizing it, and those are the people you must always be careful of," Noriko warned. "I hated her from that moment on, yet Inuyasha was already half in love with her. So I stood back, watched, and gave them their privacy. It was Kikyō Inuyasha used as an excuse when he went after the jewel that last time. 'I'm going to meet Kikyō on the dock,' he said. And she bound him."

"That doesn't sound like the Kikyō everyone talks about," Kagome frowned. "Are you sure you heard right?"

"My ears are sharper than yours. I heard correctly."

"But you said she just wanted to be ordinary. So do I," Kagome whispered. "Doesn't that make us similar?"

"No," Noriko said sharply, looking down at the human cuddled against her for comfort. "Not in the slightest. You have accepted that you cannot be ordinary, Kagome. You go to your world, from what I see, for tests and supplies, to see your family. You go for things that are required, not for enjoyment, and you are always happy to come back, even if it means a lecture from Inuyasha. You balance the halves of your life remarkably well, you do it with a smile, and you do it while tending to the needs of others. Kikyō could never have managed even one of the three."

"I just wonder," Kagome admitted with a tiny sob. "Were I more like Kikyō, do you think Inuyasha would like me more?"

"Do not ever say that!" Noriko snapped at her. "If you turn into Kikyō, you will ruin any chances Inuyasha has of getting over the bitch." Noriko slapped a hand over her mouth and straightened her spine. "I'm sorry. That slipped out, forgive my profanity."

"Its fine," Kagome said with a watery chuckle. Noriko could feel tears leaking into the shoulder of her shirt.

"What I meant was, Inuyasha will never get over Kikyō if you attempt to be more like her. Oh, you would undoubtedly have his affections, but they would be given to you only in name, to Kikyō in intention. Inuyasha would fall harder for Kikyō and then he would never be able to free himself from her memory."

"I don't think we should forget those we loved and lost," Kagome whispered as Noriko wrapped her other arm around her and pulled her closer. "Then we lose all the influence they had on our lives. You are shaped by the people you meet, the people you love. If you forget them, it's like forgetting part of yourself. Don't you think?"

"I think you are wise beyond your years, Kagome Higurashi," Noriko said, her eyes wide as she stared down at the girl curled up to her. "I think that you have the making of a great woman and a great priestess."

"Thanks," Kagome said. Noriko stroked her as she would if Kagome was a yōkai. Grooming was a big part of yōkai life. It strengthened ties. A yōkai's hair and claws were the signs of what they were. To let another tend to them was a mark of deep trust. Kagome didn't know the true meaning behind the motion, but it soothed Noriko's jarred instincts. She had been on edge since encountering Kikyō and she grooming did her good.

"_See who I am, break through the surface. Reach for my hand. Let's show them that we can free our minds and find a way. The world is in our hands. This is not the end. Fear is withering the soul at the point of no return. We must be the change we wish to see," _Noriko sang softly. Kagome sobbed harder.

"I-I didn't know y-you could s-sing," she said.

"Part of my lessons to be a proper lady," Noriko said with a reminiscent smile. "All proper ladies can sing and dance. It's a skill I rarely bother to brush off, but I believe this is a special occasion."

"Yeah, I suppose your best friend's dead girl friend coming back to life is pretty special," Kagome said weakly, sitting up and rubbing her eyes. She looked down at the soaked sleeve of Noriko's shirt. "Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It'll dry," Noriko said, waving her worries away. "You must learn not to be so concerned with offending every one with every little gesture. If I minded you crying on my shoulder, I would have shoved you away. As it is, you're welcome to soak my sleeve again if you need to."

"Is that some kind of formal way of saying I have your shoulder to cry on?" Kagome asked with a watery smile.

"Something like that," Noriko said, returning the smile. She stood. "Now, I'm going to return to camp. I believe you need a moment to gather yourself up?"

"Yes, thanks," Kagome said, wiping at her wet cheeks. "Thank you Noriko, for letting me get that off my chest."

"It was not a problem," Noriko said. She hesitated for a moment, then continued. "It would seem… I have someone else to protect."

That said, she turned and walked back to camp, leaving Kagome staring after her.

Kagome remembered the power Noriko had displayed against the Thunder Brothers, the way she had reacted to seeing Kikyō. To have someone like that care for her like that made her feel honored, made her feel… worthwhile.

"Thank you, Noriko," Kagome said again.

Noriko strode into camp in a swirl of camp, with a purposeful stride.

"We need to talk," she said to Inuyasha.

"What about?" Inuyasha demanded. "There's nothing going on, and…" His nose twitched and his eyes locked on her wet sleeve. "Kagome was crying. What's wrong, what did she say?"

"That's none of your business. Now get up, we need to talk."

"No! Tell me what's wrong with Kagome! Is she hurt?"

_Smack._

Noriko fit her slipper back on her foot and grabbed Inuyasha's ear, dragging him off. Shippo blinked after them.

"He's in deep trouble."

"Ow ow ow!" Inuyasha cried as Noriko dragged him away from camp. She brought him to the base of a tree, threw him, kicking and screaming, over her shoulder, and flew him up, depositing him on a branch. "What the hell is your problem?" Inuyasha demanded.

"Violence seems to be the only way to get an emotional response from you, and it's your emotions I want to talk about."

"You want me to talk about my feelings?" Inuyasha scoffed. "You know who you're talking to, right?"

"I'm aware," Noriko said drily. "Why do you think I hauled you up a tree? I was under the impression you did all your best brooding on branches."

"Hey! I do not brood!"

"Please, you're almost as bad as your brother about it," Noriko said absently.

"Oy! I'm nothing like that bastard!"

"Oh, you're quite a bit like him actually, but I didn't come here to start a fight. I want to know what it was like to see Kikyō."

Inuyasha's angry expression fell slowly into a somber, sad look. "I didn't like it. She told me I betrayed her when she betrayed me. She attacked me. She fell off the cliff and died again. End of story." He stood to leave and Noriko caught a hold of the hem of his pants.

"Before you stomp off to find another brooding tree, answer me this. Who were you more worried for? Kikyō, or Kagome, who had lost a soul."

Inuyasha said nothing, just pulled his leg free and jumped off through the woods from branch to branch.

"Lord, spare me the mood swings of inu," Noriko sighed as she hopped down and returned to camp.

* * *

The next day dawned sunny and clear and Inuyasha had everyone on the road before you could say 'breakfast.' It was nearly noon before they stopped by a small stream for Shippo and Kagome to drink.

"Are you sure you're alright?" Shippo pressed.

"Yes!" Kagome laughed. "For the tenth time today, I'm back to my old self. I can hardly believe that old yōkai managed to suck my soul out, but I feel completely fine now!" She glanced over at Inuyasha, who was decidedly not himself. "Did you say something to him?" Kagome hissed to Noriko.

"I asked him a question," Noriko said simply. "He didn't answer."

"I've never seen him like this," Shippo said as Kagome carried him over to Inuyasha, who was staring blankly into the distance.

"Neither have I," Kagome admitted. Shippo jumped up and smacked Inuyasha in the head.

"Take that!"

"Bad move," Inuyasha growled, turning on him and picking him up by the tail. "What'd you do that for, shrimp?"

"To knock some sense into you! I thought we were supposed to be looking for jewel shards!"

"Even a guy like me needs time to think once in a while," Inuyasha grumbled.

"Yeah, that's what's worrying me!"

"Worry about this!"

"Ladies, please, you're both pretty, can we move on?"Noriko said with an amused smile.

They stopped for the night by a hot spring so that Kagome and Noriko could bathe. Shippo and Inuyasha sat behind a fall of rocks while the two women stripped and slipped into the water.

"Now this is what I call a hot spring," Kagome sighed in delight.

"Indeed," Noriko purred, slipping under the water and coming up with her hair plastered back from her face. "Ah."

"You better not think about peeking at us!" Kagome called teasingly.

"Don't flatter yourself," Inuyasha huffed. "I've got no interest in looking."

"Oh, is that so?" Kagome demanded, offended. "Well, fine then." She and Noriko swam over to a rock and leaned against it. Noriko paused in her advance and inhaled. A man had been here very recently. His scent was still strong.

Kagome screamed and Noriko turned to see a few monkeys perched on the rock. Inuyasha flew over the rocks and splashed into the water. Kagome reached immediately and brained him with a rock.

"I believe our bath is over," Noriko sighed in disappointment.

"So I hit you in the head," Kagome sighed the next day. Inuyasha had been huffy ever since the incident at the hot spring. "You saw me naked. I think we're even!"

"I saw nothing!"

"He did, didn't he?" Kagome asked Shippo.

"I dunno, I was looking somewhere else."

"_I've come for you!" _

A large yōkai barreled down the cliff towards Inuyasha, knocking him down the hill. Noriko jumped down and landed besides Inuyasha. Her feet swung up one after the other and landed strong blows on the thing's nose. She growled and let her youki run wild, showing this thing that she was dominant.

"Oh, don't hurt me please!" the thing whined. It vanished in a puff of smoke and turned into a tanuki. "I'm just a simple tanuki!"

"Kagome!" Inuyasha yelled. Noriko looked up and saw that Kagome was on her bike in the arms of a man in black and purple robes. "Who's the guy?" Inuyasha demanded, drawing Tessaiga and running forwards. Noriko inhaled as she raced after him and recognized the scent as the man who had been at the hot spring the night before. A powerful wind swept out of nowhere, pulling Noriko and Inuyasha up the slope. They both slammed into rocks and the Tessaiga spun out of Inuyasha's hands, jamming into the dirt and reverting to its sealed form.

"Let go of me!" Kagome snapped, jumping off the bike and running back towards Inuyasha. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Inuyasha said, righting himself. "Who was that guy anyway?"

"He mentioned something about being a monk," Kagome shrugged. "And what was the deal with his right hand?"

"I've never seen such a strong storm come out of nowhere like that," Noriko said, shaking her hair out of her face.

Kagome jumped up suddenly. "That guy rode off with my bike. You creep!" she shouted after him.

"Like that matters," Inuyasha huffed. "You were being kidnapped! I can't turn my back on you for a minute!"

"You were worried about me," Kagome said softly, staring at him. "Sorry."

"Sorry? Who said I was worried about you? I was only worried about the jewel shard!"

"Speaking of the jewel shard," Kagome said innocently, her cheeks flushing. "He got more than the bike. He got the jewel shard too."

"What?"

They tracked him to a village where Inuyasha's scent-tracking methods got them a few very strange looks. Very rarely did people crawl around with their noses in the dirt. Kagome saved them from the looks when she spotted her bike leaning against a building. They charged inside, Inuyasha in the lead, Noriko bringing up the rear.

"Got you!" he said, slamming open the door. The monk was sitting there holding a cup of sake and surrounded by geisha.

"Busted, bicycle thief!" Kagome shouted.

"Ah, you're here!" the monk smiled, getting up and walking to Kagome. He took her hands and stared into her eyes tenderly. "You're a sight for sore eyes!"

"I'll give you sore eyes," Inuyasha growled, swinging his claws. The monk ducked and back up towards his shakujō.

"You!" he said irritably. "I should have known!"

"Yeah, you should have," Inuyasha sneered. "Funny, I was about to say the same thing. But I guess not all of us are blessed with good looks and brains. I don't suppose you'd consider handing over that jewel shard?"

"A jewel such as this does not belong in the hands of a yōkai such as yourself," he said, pulling the shard from under the neck of his robe.

"How about a yōkai like me?" Noriko purred, appearing behind him. Her hand wrapped around his throat, claws poised to pierce his skin. "I should warn you, moving right now would not be wise."

"And a demon such as yourself should know better than to get so close," the monk said. His staff swung over his head, but Noriko was ready. She'd fought many_, many_ monks, and had quickly mastered avoiding their hits. Nearly all of them used staffs, though she'd met a few archers that proved troublesome.

She ducked and flipped back onto her hands, her feet flying up and catching the monk in the rear, shoving him forwards towards Inuyasha. She hopped to her feet and spun into a kick. Her foot hit a metal pole and she winced slightly, but refused to be deterred. She turned to face the monk, who was dodging a flurry of blows from the Tessaiga and making a mess of the geisha house.

"Inuyasha, down!" she ordered. Inuyasha had learned a long time ago that when Noriko said down, you went down. He hit the floor and Noriko was revealed standing behind him, her fingers glowing. She flicked her hands and sent ten darts flying forwards. The monk blocked an impressive number of them, but three hit him clothes and stuck him to the wall behind. Noriko soared towards him and wrapped her hand around his throat again, the knife she had taken from the soldier pressed to his stomach and ready to gut him.

"The shard," she said. The staff twisted skillfully, knocking her hands away.

"No," the monk replied, making for the balcony. Noriko dove, taking him to the ground under her, pinning his shoulders with her hands.

"The shard.

"No," the monk repeated, narrowing his eyes. His staff moved, catching her behind the knees and flinging her off. Noriko rolled to her feet and flew after him, catching him by the collar of his robe and spinning him, pressing him against the side of a building.

"I'm not even going to ask," she said, bringing her hand down on his temple. He slumped to the ground, eyes wide, and passed out. Noriko bent down and retrieved the jewel from around his neck as Kagome and Inuyasha ran up.

"Did you get it?" Inuyasha asked intently. Noriko tossed the chain to Kagome, who quickly pulled it over her head.

"What should we do with him?" Noriko asked, glancing at the monk.

"I've got a few ideas," Inuyasha said, drawing his sword.

"Yes, but think about it. He's a monk who saw a demon with a bunch of jewel shards," Kagome reasoned. "He made a logical assumption that he was doing good by taking them away from you two."

"We'll let him wake up and talk to hi-IM!" Noriko squeaked. Her eyes went wide as she felt a hand press against her bottom, kneading softly. She went bright red and punched the monk in the face. His hand fell away as he slipped back into unconsciousness.

"He'll be a while waking up," Noriko said weakly.

The monk woke up, but it took him a while. He introduced himself as Miroku and told the story of the curse placed on his family by the shapeshifting demon Naraku. Each son was born with a hole in his hand that would eventually suck him up, unless Naraku was killed. It was revealed that Naraku was the one who killed Kikyō, Naraku who turned her against Inuyasha. Inuyasha was in a rage about this, grabbing the monk and literally shaking him down for information. Kagome calmed him down and suggested they all join forces. The men were a bit hesitant, but they eventually put aside their differences and agreed to work together.


	10. Noriko Kidnapped! - Willing or Not?

Noriko Kidnapped! – Willing or Not?

Noriko threw back her head and howled with laughter. Oh, if all monks were like Miroku, the world would never have any need for con men.

"You mean there never was a black cloud over the tavern?" Inuyasha demanded. "You call yourself a monk!"

"Perhaps if you partake in my spoils your opinion of me will change," Miroku suggested, proffering a plate of dumplings. Shippo seized it, jumping up and down in pleasure.

"Sweet dumplings! Yay!"

"You're just as bad as him," Inuyasha huffed.

The room shook suddenly, the lamp light flickering before plunging them into darkness.

"What is that?" Shippo asked nervously.

"Whatever it is, it sounds big," Inuyasha mused.

"I agree," Miroku said. "We should run."

"What?" Inuyasha shouted. "You can't just eat and run, what's wrong with you?"

"Exactly. If it's that big, we have no chance. It's impossible, it's inconceivable, it's against my religion."

"You oughta be arrested."

"I'm sensing a fragment of the Shikon no Tama!" Kagome broke in. "And it's coming this way fast!"

"That's a change," Inuyasha grinned. "We've never had them bring us the shards before."

"I suppose if there's a shard in it I could stick around," Miroku smiled. Noriko inhaled, and then paled as the scent of oni filled her nose, intertwined with the scent of kappa and something else very familiar.

"We need to go," she said tensely. "Now."

"Noriko?" Inuyasha asked in confusion. "I figured you'd be glad for a fight after so long traveling."

"Lord Sesshōmaru with a jewel shard not how I wanted to start fighting again," Noriko said softly.

"Sesshōmaru?" Kagome blinked. "It's him that has the jewel shard?"

"Him, Jaken, or the oni he rides, which is highly unlikely," Noriko explained.

"How do you know all this?" Inuyasha demanded. "I mean, I can smell the oni, but…"

"Your human side wants you to rely on your eyes," Noriko cut him off. "Inhale deeply and sort through the scents. For inu, scent is often more important than sight. I've seen your father train fighting blind and deaf, going only off scent."

"My old man did that?" Inuyasha blinked.

"Now's not the time for telling old stories," Miroku broke in. "We need to move!"

They jumped up and raced out of the tavern, down the hill to the village.

"There!" Miroku said, pointing. An oni had climbed up the side of the valley wall and was standing in a wide, flat area. On his shoulder, cross-legged, sat Sesshōmaru, with Jaken standing beside him.

"You were right," Inuyasha said grimly. "That's Sesshōmaru."

Sesshōmaru stood and swooped down from the oni's shoulder, his hand glowing. Miroku, Kagome, and Noriko jumped back, Noriko dragging Inuyasha, as Sesshōmaru connected with the ground, green fumes uncoiling from his hand.

"As usual, you are slow to react," he said calmly.

"My lord," Noriko greeted, bowing.

"What's this?" Miroku demanded, staring at Noriko in surprise. "Noriko?"

"Don't ask, it's complicated," Kagome said, dragging him and Shippo back to the safety of a cluster of boulders as Noriko took her place beside Inuyasha. "I'll explain later."

"Sesshōmaru," Inuyasha said once he stopped coughing on poison fumes. "To what do we owe the honor of this visit?"

"Spare me the faint innocence. I've come for the Tessaiga of course."

"Feh. Still haven't given up hope on that yet?" Inuyasha taunted.

"Draw your sword, Inuyasha, or will you surrender it without a fight?"

"Not a chance," Inuyasha said, drawing the Tessaiga. "This time I'm going to take off a lot more than your arm." He jumped, coming down in a powerful, but obvious, two-handed strike. Sesshōmaru dodged easily, darting and flying around Inuyasha's clumsy strikes.

"Such a pity. I see you still have not unlocked the full power of the Tessaiga," Sesshōmaru mused.

"We'll see about that!" Inuyasha growled. He raised his arm for another strike, but Sesshōmaru flashed forwards, his hand gripping Inuyasha's wrist.

"Such pitiful swordsmanship," Sesshōmaru mocked. "The little man is having trouble holding his sword." His hand glowed a vivid, poisonous green. "Your wrist or the sword? Which will be first to drop?"

Sesshōmaru blinked as Noriko appeared between them, her sword resting low on his collarbone.

"Release him please, my lord," she said softly.

"You still choose to protect this pitiful hanyō?" Sesshōmaru demanded, and Kagome, watching in the boulders, was surprised by his tone. He sounded like Noriko's loyalty genuinely made him angry. Did he maybe want her on her side? No, Sesshōmaru seemed pretty careless of his attendants, and he treated Noriko as no more than an annoyance in battle.

"Would that I could protect you both. However, my focus was directed to Inuyasha," Noriko explained. "Please release him, my lord." Her sword pushed forwards a bare amount, digging into the skin of Sesshōmaru's throat enough to make her point but not to draw blood.

Noriko didn't dare draw blood.

Sesshōmaru stepped back, his hand dropping from Inuyasha's wrist, and he looked at her. Noriko lowered her sword, sheathing it. A hand wrapped around her neck, squeezing. Noriko gasped as poison sizzled against her skin. She grabbed Sesshōmaru's hand, countering by letting her hands glow with their own poison. The two toxins almost seemed to mix, forming a new toxin, and both combatants jerked back in pain, staring at their hands.

"Don't you touch her!" Inuyasha roared, charging past Noriko furiously. "I'll slit you in half, you sad excuse for a demon!"

"You should have surrendered," Sesshōmaru hissed. He knocked Inuyasha back and flew up, the poison whip extending from his hand. Noriko moved, raising her metal armguards and catching the blows herself.

"Stop getting hurt for me!" Inuyasha shouted, grabbing her arm and pulling her out of the way. His momentary distraction caused him to loosen his grip of the Tessaiga. Just slightly, but it was enough for Sesshōmaru's next strike to send the blade spinning from his grasp.

"Oh no," Inuyasha whispered as Sesshōmaru landed next to it. His hand reached out and the night went still, the spectators breathless as his fingers coiled over the sword's hilt. "Impossible!"

Tessaiga shifted form under Sesshōmaru's grip. He pulled it free of the ground and spun in one movement, sending a wave of yellow energy racing down the blade towards Inuyasha. Inuyasha jumped back, dragging Noriko with him.

"I am the Tessaiga's rightful owner," Sesshōmaru said as the dirt cleared. "Stand back as I demonstrate the Tessaiga's true power. Jaken!"

"Yes milord!" Jaken cried from the oni's shoulder. "I will summon all the yōkai down from the mountain!" The oni rose on Jaken's command. "Go forth!" The oni raised one hand and slammed it down on the mountain. The ground shook under their feet. The oni pulled back its hand, the imprint glowing. From it rose countless yōkai, hundreds if not thousands.

"Watch the master and learn, Inuyasha," Sesshōmaru bade. "Witness this as I slaughter one hundred yōkai with one stroke!"

Sesshōmaru spun, throwing his entire body into the strike. Golden lines of power raked down the blade and tore through the ranks of yōkai, destroying them all.

"That can't be!" Inuyasha cried.

"Oh yes it can," Noriko whispered.

"The mountain!" Shippo cried.

"He slayed the yōkai! But he also split the mountain!"

"Now do you see?" Sesshōmaru asked. "This sword, forged from the fang of our father, reigns supreme. Unfortunately, the Tessaiga is not capable of choosing its owner. But perhaps now you realize that you, a mere hanyō, can never master it. Your blood shall stain this sword. Truly a fitting end for you, is it not?"

"I'm afraid I can listen to this no longer!" Miroku proclaimed, stepping in front of Inuyasha and Noriko. "I must put an end to this foolish sibling rivalry."

"Hey!" Inuyasha snapped. "Butt out! I can handle this on my own!" he stepped in front of Miroku.

"No you can't," Miroku said, getting in front of him again.

"Get back you creep, I want to stand in the front!"

"Don't be such a stubborn mule!"

"Very funny coming from you!"

_Smack! Smack!_

"Ow!"

"What was that for?"

"If you two don't mind, my lord has the Tessaiga and I was under the impression you wanted to rectify that, Inuyasha," Noriko said calmly as she replaced her slipper.

The ground rocked as the oni leaned forwards.

"Milord, let me finish the monk off for you! There's no need for you to expend your strength on such a weak opponent!" Jaken begged.

"As you wish," Sesshōmaru said carelessly. "I will watch."

"Onward!" Jaken commanded. "Crush them all!"

"Move back!" Miroku commanded, running forwards and opening his hand. "Kazaana!"

The wind tunnel opened. Sesshōmaru jumped back, planting the Tessaiga in the ground for support. Jaken cried out as the oni was sucked slowly in.

"No! Stop that!"

Noriko's eye was caught by a flicker of movement. Sesshōmaru had tossed some sort of hive up into the air. Yellow insects with red stingers emerged and dove for Miroku. Noriko was no fool. She knew bright colors were an adaptation to warn off predators, to say that an animal was poisonous. This was part of the reason she and Sesshōmaru both had such vivid marks. And if Miroku pulled in those insects, he would be introducing all their poison directly into his body.

"Miroku!" Noriko called over the raging wind. "Close it! Close it! Those insects are poison!"

"Poison?" Miroku asked, but he quickly closed his kazaana. Too late though. Several insects had already been sucked in.

"Inuyasha, you'll have to take over," he said, groaning as he slumped to the ground, clutching his hand.

"Miroku!" Kagome fretted.

"What'd they do to you?" Inuyasha demanded.

The insects flew at them. Shippo and Inuyasha worked feverishly with Noriko to kill them all while Kagome ran off in search of an antidote. Shippo used fox fire, Inuyasha tearing into them with his claws. Noriko used the poison darts from her nails.

"Hey Miroku, how about a little help here?" Inuyasha demanded.

"I'm sorry, my friend," Miroku said weakly. "I'm afraid the poison has gotten to me."

"Hijin Kessō!" Inuyasha yelled, sticking his claws into his arm and drawing blood. The red blades flew towards Sesshōmaru, who blocked them easily with the Tessaiga. Inuyasha used the distraction to grab Miroku and drag him behind the remains of the oni. The thing had been decapitated when Miroku closed his kazaana before finishing pulling it in.

"Gah! We have company coming!" Shippo cried as he peeked around the corner of the oni's body. Noriko pulled him back to safety and glanced out herself nervously. Sesshōmaru was advancing slowly, taking his time and savoring the moment.

"He has no hope," Sesshōmaru whispered. "This is the end for you."

He struck. Shippo cried out in fear. Noriko lunged, covering Inuyasha's body with her own. It would not provide much protection, but it was something. Chunks of gore exploded, raining down on them. Noriko winced as some of it slid down her shirt. Inuyasha pushed her off and climbed out of the viscera, pulling Miroku out too.

Sesshōmaru chuckled when he saw Inuyasha and Noriko still moving. Noriko shuddered. She hadn't heard him laugh in so long. It was deep sound, tauntingly amused, and just the slightest bit cruel. It sent shivers down her spine –always had, probably always would.

"Your stupidity knows no bounds," Sesshōmaru said to his brother. "Run and hide while you can. That, and only that, is the choice left to you. Then again, perhaps you should stand up and face your death. At least you would die with honor.

"Blah blah blah!" Inuyasha shouted back. "The guy starts swinging a big, new sword around and suddenly he's looking for a soapbox to stand on and preach to the world! Let me give you a piece of advice now that I have your attention. If you're going to kill someone, do it right the first time, because if you only maim them with the first blow they have a nasty habit of coming back to make you regret it. _Like this_!"

Inuyasha lunged, his claws glancing off the Tessaiga. Sesshōmaru flew up to avoid the next attack.

"Silence!" he commanded, and Noriko's eyes widened as she ran to Inuyasha's side. She hadn't heard him sound this angry in a very long time. If he was showing his rage, a normal man would have been screaming by now. "I… have heard… enough!"

Sesshōmaru rushed forwards, sword coming in for a strike. Inuyasha raised the Tessaiga's sheath, blocking the blow. His feet slid in the dirt as he dug in, but Sesshōmaru forced him back.

"Oh please," Sesshōmaru scoffed. "Trying to hold off the Tessaiga with a sword sheath?"

"Yeah," Inuyasha chuckled. "But this is no ordinary sheath. You'll change your mind soon enough… when I use it to crack open that head of yours."

"That'll kill me," Sesshōmaru smirked. "Let's see you prove it."

He disengaged and swung at Inuyasha, pressing him back as Inuyasha frantically tried to block with the sheath. Sesshōmaru batted it from his hands easily and it clattered away. Noriko moved to stand in front of Inuyasha, her own blade drawn.

"One strike," Sesshōmaru warned her simply. "One more strike and it's over."

"Then Inuyasha and I die in one strike, my lord," Noriko said calmly.

"_Move."_

Noriko's eyes widened in surprise. Was he not going to simply kill her along with Inuyasha? "E-excuse me, my lord?"

"Get out of my way."

Noriko stared at him numbly, her sword point lowering slightly in surprise. "You… won't take my life with his?"

Red met amber and the two simply stared for a moment, stunned staring into stoic.

The spell was broken as an arrow came flying, clacking against the Tessaiga's blade before sticking in the ground. Tessaiga reverted to its sealed form.

"Sesshōmaru!"

Everyone turned to see Kagome standing on a rock, another arrow drawn. "Drop the sword, or the next one's going in your heart!"

"Kagome!" Inuyasha shouted.

"Inuyasha, get out of there!" Kagome commanded. "Move it! Sesshōmaru, I've got you now! I'll shoot your left arm off! Say goodbye to your shard!"

Kagome fired and Sesshōmaru dodged easily. Even a speeding arrow was no match for a yōkai on guard. Sesshōmaru lunged for Kagome, claws drawn back to attack. Noriko and Inuyasha both raced after him, Noriko keeping even.

"Leave her out of this!" Inuyasha yelled. "Your fight's with me! Hijin Kessō!"

Sesshōmaru jerked back to avoid the blades as Inuyasha landed in front of Kagome, Noriko in front of him.

"Most amusing," Sesshōmaru said, completely unconcerned by the shallow cut bisecting the marks on his right cheek. "You seem very concerned about her safety."

"Let me at him!" Kagome pleaded. "There's a shard of the sacred jewel imbedded in his left arm. I can hit it, I'm sure!"

"Forget it Kagome," Inuyasha said in a tone that brooked no argument. "Sesshōmaru's never been the kind of opponent that's easy to strike down."

"In the interest of frankness, I'm amazed Inuyasha hit him," Noriko admitted.

"Hey!"

"It's true. Your attacks are highly telegraphed and Sesshōmaru's fast to dodge and counterstrike."

"Feh, Whatever. Kagome, you stay here and tend to Miroku. The remedies from your era seem powerful. Maybe you can save him."

"I'm on it!"

"Kagome?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for your help. With your arrow you reversed the Tessaiga's transformation. Now I can defeat him."

Kagome ran off to Miroku's side as Sesshōmaru examined the battered blade of the sealed Tessaiga.

"The Tessaiga's transformation was canceled by an arrow, of a mortal girl no less. I suppose Tessaiga didn't take to me."

"I figured you out Sesshōmaru," Inuyasha began. "Because you're a demon you shouldn't be able to grasp the Tessaiga. That left arm of yours is human. You're using a shard of the Shikon jewel to connect the arm to your body. If I can lop off that human arm of yours, you'll no longer have what it takes to hold on to the Tessaiga. And that's not all!" he moved in to attack, Noriko at his side, and Sesshōmaru rushing to meet him. "When you lose that arm I'll have myself another shard of the Sacred Jewel!"

Sesshōmaru drove Inuyasha's charge back with his whip, Noriko using her usual technique to block the strikes. Inuyasha dove from behind her and lunged at Sesshōmaru.

"Sankon Tessō!"

Sesshōmaru dodged easily, grunting as he punched Inuyasha across the face, sending him skidding back through the dirt. Noriko dove in to block any other strikes, but stepped back as an arrow whizzed by, cracking his pauldron away.

"Kagome!" Inuyasha called.

"Inuyasha, make her stop," Sesshōmaru commanded. "Hanyō though you are, the blood of a yōkai runs in you. Be proud of that. Do not accept human aid even in death."

"Don't try anything Kagome," Inuyasha said. "Sesshōmaru is totally ruthless!"

"I can handle it," Kagome said confidently. She let another arrow fly.

Noriko moved.

Inuyasha shouted.

Kagome screamed.

Sesshōmaru gasped.

Kagome's arrow, laced with purifying energy, slammed home in Noriko's shoulder. Purifying energy sparked across her body and her muscles seized. Noriko dropped to her knees, panting and shuddering as her youki rose up in retaliation to the purity. She looked up and Inuyasha and Kagome gasped. The whites of her eyes were now the same teal as her hair, her irises completely black.

"I can't let you do that Kagome," Noriko said, gritting her teeth as she shoved away the last of the purity. She reached up and broke off the end of the arrow. The head was through her shoulder completely; it would do less damage to pull it forwards. She reached back, gripped the head, and pulled it free, casting it to the ground.

"You've had your warning," Sesshōmaru said, his eyes flashing angrily, as he spun on Kagome. "I will put an end to your interfering!"

"No," Noriko said weakly. Her vision was flicking. She had no idea Kagome had this much power in her... Blood loss, plus the energy expended fighting the purity, made her surprisingly weak as she swayed to her feet.

Yellow lines of power raked off the blade, flying towards Kagome. Inuyasha ran in front of her, grabbing her and holding her close as the pair of them were thrown backwards. Inuyasha sat up almost immediately but Kagome was unconscious. Miroku dragged himself over to them as Noriko took a few weak steps over as well. She felt a hand coil around her waist. She looked up in surprise to see Sesshōmaru standing next to her, supporting her. She gasped, but his eyes were fixed on Inuyasha and the others.

"You'll pay for that Sesshōmaru!" Inuyasha shouted. "She doesn't deserve it!"

"The Tessaiga isn't fully transformed, yet it's so strong," Miroku observed. "There is only one method left. I must use my kazaana."

"Rethink that," Inuyasha advised. "Noriko's still out there and so are those insects. You take Kagome and get out of here. I'll get Noriko."

"Uh, you sure?" Shippo asked nervously.

"Get Kagome out of here. Guard her with your life."

"You cannot escape me," Sesshōmaru said. "I will finish you all with a single blow."

"No!" Noriko shouted as he attacked and Inuyasha ran forwards. Noriko's foot flew up and connected with… something, she wasn't entirely sure what, as the blast subsided. Sesshōmaru grunted, his claws digging into her hip threateningly. Noriko realized Inuyasha was straining with the sword, forcing it away from their friends. He was grunting, whereas Sesshōmaru was just looking down at him in amusement, completely unfazed by that or the blood welling at his newly-split lip.

"Get going!" Inuyasha ordered the others. "Move!"

"Very touching," Sesshōmaru said. "Trying to buy time to save the lives of your friends." He raised his hand over Inuyasha's back and drove forwards. Noriko screamed, her vision slamming back into focus. She grabbed Sesshōmaru's arm and heaved, trying to keep him from puncturing something important, like a lung or his heart. She threw all her weight and strength into it and ripped Sesshōmaru's arm free. Inuyasha cried out as the hand was removed and Noriko staggered. Almost reflexively, it seemed, Sesshōmaru's arm darted out to steady her.

"Any last words, before your tragic demise?" Sesshōmaru asked.

"Your ignorance surprises me," Inuyasha said confidently, chuckling. Noriko paused. She'd been about to turn around and punch with all of her still-returning strength, but Inuyasha's tone stopped her. What did he know?

"I really thought you'd have noticed by now," he continued.

"Noticed what?"

Inuyasha ripped his human arm away.

"That the sword is back in my possession!"

"Master, without the human arm you're no longer able to wield the Tessaiga!" Jaken squeaked, running the Sesshōmaru's side. He turned on Noriko, slapping her legs with the hard wood of the staff. Noriko glared down at him. Her nails extended, planting in the ground an inch from his feet. The dirt sizzled with poison. Jaken jumped back and glared at her.

"Let Noriko go," Inuyasha growled. He was shaking with the loss of strength from the hole in his back. To Noriko's surprise, she felt Sesshōmaru's grip on her tighten. Inuyasha collapsed in front of them, going to one knee, supported by the sword. Noriko inhaled, her face horrified. One hand fluttered up to cover her mouth. A tear rolled down her cheek.

"Lord Sesshōmaru, Inuyasha is finally unconscious," Jaken said, moving forwards.

"Do not approach," Sesshōmaru said quickly. Inuyasha's grip on the Tessaiga tightened and light danced down the blade, reaching towards Jaken, who backtracked furiously.

"The sword attacked of its own accord!"

"We will leave Jaken," Sesshōmaru said. "The Tessaiga is currently beyond my reach, so there's no use staying."

"I won't argue with your decision, master, after you," Jaken said earnestly. "But… should we not dispatch this _weak_ excuse for a yōkai?" He struck Noriko once again. Her eyes flamed and her hands twitched through a series of claw-like movements. Roots shot from the ground and wrapped around Jaken, wrenching the staff from him and hurling it away before shaking him roughly and tossing him after it.

"Release me, my lord," Noriko said softly.

"No."

Sesshōmaru took off, his cloud of smoke appearing under his feet. Noriko found herself flying with him.

"Noriko!" Kagome screamed on the ground.

Noriko closed her eyes. She was so tired… so tired. From fighting, from blood loss, from the decisions of the battle. Which brother should she protect? Which truly had her loyalty? They both did, and therein lay her problem. She was constantly trying to protect one from the other, having to choose to allow a blow to hit one to defend the other from something. It was mentally and emotionally exhausting, and she was so very tired of it.

Sesshōmaru looked down as Noriko slumped in his arms, unconscious. If the human had this much power, power enough to knock Noriko out, then she _should_ have loyally taken the arrow for him, should be willing to give her life for him. Almost immediately, and completely unexpectedly, his beast rebelled at that thought.

"How far will these cursed insects follow us?" Jaken demanded, interrupting Sesshōmaru's thoughts.

"Be patient. Ultimately it is the jewel they're after. Surely they're waiting for me to discard the arm."

Sesshōmaru shoved his sleeve down. He'd felt the burning for a while now, but it was not serious.

"The arm is burning at the joint!" Jaken squeaked in concern. "The flame licks at your shoulder!"

"This wretched arm threatens to burn me alive," Sesshōmaru observed. He was careful with Noriko, leaning her against his chest and balancing her with his upper arm as he reached across to tear free the human arm. He tossed it aside, reaffirming his grip on her, and watched as the arm dissolved and one of the insects seized the glittering jewel shard before flying off.


End file.
